PRIME MINISTER

Bali Bombing Report

Roger Casale: To ask the Prime Minister when he will respond to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Inquiry into Intelligence, Assessments and Advice prior to the terrorist bombings on Bali on 12 October 2002.

Tony Blair: I am today laying before the House the Government's response to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Report.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Combined Heat and Power

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the level of grant which would need to be provided to householders to enable them to install a micro-combined heat and power plant instead of a high-efficiency boiler without incurring additional costs; what the carbon dioxide savings from such an installation would be; and what the savings to the householders' fuel bills would be

Elliot Morley: At present it is not possible to accurately estimate the level of grant needed or the savings in carbon dioxide or fuel bills as, to date, no manufacturer has brought a fully trialled and tested micro combined heat and power product on to
	the market.

Energy Generation

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on encouraging industry to invest in developing (a) micro combined heat and power, (b) domestic heat pumps and (c) other technology that could reduce emissions of CO2 in the long term

Elliot Morley: Government is keen to encourage the development of low carbon technologies. We are working closely with industry in fora such as the Distributed Generation Co-ordination Group to remove any technical or legislative barriers to the development of micro-CHP. We will also support field trials designed to evaluate the benefits of micro-CHP. In addition, the Carbon Trust supports the development of a low carbon economy in the UK and their Low Carbon Innovation Programme provides loans, grants and financing for a wide range of innovative low carbon projects, which can include domestic heat pumps, micro-CHP and other technologies.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, has also taken vigorous action for the promotion of renewable energy generation, including the introduction of the Renewables Obligation, the setting up of substantial capital grants schemes, expanded provision for research, and the promotion of regional plans and targets.

Agricultural Exports

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 20 January to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Andrew George), Official Report, column 93W, on agricultural exports, if she will place a copy of (a) the letter from the Minister of State for International Trade and Investment and (b) the ERM Consultancy report in the Library.

Patricia Hewitt: I have been asked to reply. 
	I have placed a copy of the ERM Consultancy Report in the Libraries of the House. However I will not publish the letter from my noble Friend, Minister of State. It is not the practice to publish such letters, under Exemption 2—Internal advice anddiscussion, of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Cetaceans

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with which European fisheries ministers she has had discussions regarding cetacean bycatch in the last 12 months; and what the outcome of each communication was.

Elliot Morley: I have raised this issue several times with Commissioner Fischler, both in person and in writing. Most recently, I wrote to him earlier this month, reinforcing the intervention made by the UK at the January meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council and pressing in particular for wider observer coverage off the South West coast where a number of other member states' vessels pursue the pelagic fishery. I have also written to the French minister and spoken individually to ministerial colleagues from Spain, Germany and Denmark. The outcome has been, progressively, the inclusion of action on cetacean bycatch firstly in the Commission's roadmap on CFP reform and secondly in the action plan on environmental matters under the CFP, and publication of the Commission's discussion paper on the reduction of cetacean bycatch in December 2002. I shall continue to fund our scientific work and to press for action, with a view to securing concrete proposals from the Commission and then their adoption by the Council.

Flooding

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial assistance is available to councils in which areas are flooded in 2003.

Nick Raynsford: I have been asked to reply.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has in place financial arrangements known as the Bellwin Scheme to assist Local Authorities, including police and fire authorities, in England in emergencies. (In Wales these arrangements are dealt with by the National Assembly for Wales which operates similar arrangements). Assistance is available to authorities to help with uninsurable clear-up costs following a disaster or emergency in their area which involves destruction of, or danger to, life or property. In March last year the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister wrote to all authorities reminding them of the existence of the scheme and advising them how to go about getting assistance under it.
	Under this scheme authorities are themselves responsible for the first tranche of expenditure on emergency work. The amount each authority affected will be expected to find is just 0.2 per cent. of its annual budget. Expenditure above that will be eligible for 85 per cent. assistance from Government.

Radioactive Waste

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the volume of reprocessing radioactive waste that will arise over the next 10 years from the reprocessing of British Energy-owned spent nuclear fuel at Sellafield.

Michael Meacher: There are contracts for the reprocessing of about 65 per cent, of the spent fuel from British Energy's advanced gas-cooled reactors. If all of the spent fuel was reprocessed, conditioned waste volumes are estimated to be a maximum of about 28,000 m 3 of low-level waste, 14,000 m 3 of intermediate-level waste and 470 m 3 of high level waste. An estimate of the amounts to be reprocessed in the next 10 years is not available.

Sharks

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the populations of (a) white, (b) hammerhead and (c) thresher sharks in each of the last 15 years; and what measures her Department is taking to protect shark populations.

Elliot Morley: The Department has made no assessment of populations of white, hammerhead or thresher sharks, as these species are rare in UK waters. I am concerned at the decrease in shark populations, and so have been working to protect sharks at national and international level. In particular I have pressed for early adoption of a strict measure based on the Commission's welcome proposal to restrict shark finning; I have also introduced measures to protect the basking shark under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and secured improved international protection for basking sharks through strengthened CITES listing.

Tangerine Advertising

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on European Union funding for the advertising of tangerines.

Elliot Morley: In 2001 a programme for the promotion (including advertising) of oranges, Clementines, and mandarins in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Romania and Bulgaria was approved under Council Regulation 2702/1999 (measures to provide information on, and to promote, agricultural products in third Countries). In 2002 a programme for the promotion, within the European Union, of oranges and Clementines was approved under Council Regulation 2826/2000 (information and promotion actions for agricultural products on the internal market). The Community contribution will have been 50 per cent. of the costs for both programmes.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Iraq

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the humanitarian consequences of war against Iraq, with special reference to medical aid.

Clare Short: The Iraqi people are already very vulnerable, their coping strategies worn away by years of misrule. Any disruption to their current situation could lead to a serious humanitarian crisis. The Government is committed to minimising the suffering of the Iraqi people. In the event of military action a key priority will be to re-establish critical humanitarian infrastructure as quickly as possible, including the Iraqi hospitals, clinics, sanitation facilities and water treatment plants which already suffer from a terrible lack of maintenance. The medical risks of the use of chemical and biological weapons are horrendous. Most traditional deliverers of medical aid are not adequately prepared for the worst case scenarios.

Iraq

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last met representatives of the Kurdish people to discuss human rights in Iraq.

Clare Short: The Foreign & Commonwealth Office regularly meets with representatives of the Kurdish people to discuss a wide range of issues, including human rights.

Southern Africa

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on humanitarian aid to southern Africa.

Clare Short: Southern Africa continues to suffer from a major humanitarian crisis. 14.4 million people in six countries receive help from the international community. More than half of these are in Zimbabwe, where UK programmes alone are feeding almost 2 million people.
	The international response to this crisis has prevented large-scale deaths and we are now confident that adequate supplies are available until the April harvests and that the position in many of these countries will improve. However, the disastrous economic policies in Zimbabwe mean that massive food aid will still be needed there.

Southern Africa

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she next expects to meet Commonwealth colleagues to discuss international aid efforts to Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: I have no current plans to discuss international aid efforts with commonwealth colleagues. The international community is responding to the humanitarian crisis within the context of a UN coordinated effort. I have recently discussed the crisis with the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy, Mr James Morris. I have also written to OECD colleagues to urge further support.

Afghanistan

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the level of aid pledged by the international community for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Clare Short: The needs assessment done quickly in late 2001 has now been refined in the National Development Framework (NDF). A sustained international effort is required.
	At the donor conference held in Tokyo in January 2002, the international community pledged $4.5 billion for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Pledges covered periods of between 1 and 5 years. Since Tokyo, almost $2 billion has been disbursed. The Development Forum scheduled for mid-March will present the NDF for the coming 2–3 years and provide an opportunity for renewal of international support and multi-year pledges.
	At Tokyo the UK pledged £200 million over five years for both humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. We have already disbursed £65 million in the current financial year, and remain committed to Afghanistan in the long term.

Water Supplies (Developing Countries)

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she is taking to improve the availability of clean and affordable water in developing countries.

Clare Short: My Department recognises the key role that water plays in poverty reduction and is committed to assisting those in the developing world to assess and manage their water resources in a more equitable and sustainable way. Currently, 1.2 billion people globally have inadequate access to safe water and the situation is likely to worsen by 2025 when nearly two-thirds of the world's population will be living in countries of significant water stress. My Department along with other members of the international community have strongly committed to improving access to drinking water and sanitation while working to strengthen the management of water resources for effective and equitable service delivery and these must now be implemented.

Education Projects

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding her Department is giving to education projects in overseas countries in 2002–03.

Clare Short: Figures for expenditure for this financial year—2002/03—are not yet available. However, it is expected that they will be comparable to expenditure for 2001/02.
	Of DFID's bilateral aid programme allocable by sector, the amount spent on education projects in 2001/02 was £112 million. This figure represents expenditure on projects specific to the education sector but does not capture the full extent of our efforts as it excludes multi-sector projects and programmes, strategic funding to civil society organisations and budget support and balance of payments. Also excluded are activities funded through multilateral channels.

Contingency Reserve

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's Contingency Reserve was (a) in pounds sterling and (b) as a percentage of the annual DFID budget for each year from May 1997.

Clare Short: The size of DFIDs Contingency Reserve for each year since 1997 was:
	
		(a) in pounds sterling (£ million)
		
			 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 45 47 45 70 100 50 
		
	
	and
	
		(b) as a percentage of DFIDs annual budget
		
			 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 2.2 2.2 2.0 2.6 3.2 1.5

Fair Trade Fortnight

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department is taking to support Fairtrade Fortnight.

Clare Short: My department is providing £120,000 to the Fairtrade Foundation over three years (2001—2003) in support of its efforts to target new groups through its annual Fairtrade Fortnight campaigns. These help to raise consumer awareness of development issues in international trade as well as highlighting ways in which consumers can act to make a difference.
	In addition, DFID has provided £168,930 over three years (from 1999 to 2002) in support of Fairtrade Foundation's year round media work, helping it to raise awareness of the "FT mark" and what it stands for.
	Last year DFID also approved a project (at a total cost of £300,000) designed to address a recognised bottleneck within Fair Trade—namely the limited number of products for which international Fair Trade standards exist. The project aims to develop new Fair Trade product standards, secure the registration of new producer groups and help bring additional Fair Trade products to supermarket shelves over the next 2 years. The target is to increase the retail value of Fair Trade sales in the UK to over 100m per annum by 2004 and by so doing extend the benefits of Fair Trade to a greater number of producers in developing countries. By expanding the scale of Fair Trade activities, the project also aims to secure a sustainable future for the Fairtrade Foundation, so that its core operational costs (including the cost of subsequent promotional activities) can be fully funded from the income it receives from licensees.
	Owing to travel commitments, I am unable to attend the launch of the Fairtrade Fortnight this year. However, the Fairtrade Foundation has invited the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Ministerial Travel

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many times since 2001 she has taken flights on departmental duties in the UK; how many of these were (a) charter flights, (b) first or club class and (c) by helicopter; and who accompanied her on each trip.

Clare Short: Since January 2001 I have taken three flights on departmental duties in the UK. They were business class. I have not taken any flights by charter or helicopter.
	I was accompanied by my departmental Private Secretary in each case.
	All travel was undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with the French government regarding the sale to France of UK aircraft carrier designs; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 27 January 2003
	We have made clear to the French Government our view that the best way forward for United Kingdom/French co-operation on a range of carrier issues is at the industry-to-industry level. To facilitate the transition to such industry-to-industry co-operation, three official groups have been established and their work has been carried forward since the France/United Kingdom summit on 4 February 2003 and the UK CVF down-selection decision. This work includes potential future co-operation on procurement issues and information interchange. The last such meeting took place on 13 February 2003. During the course of discussions, we have provided France with some basic design information, to help them decide the best way forward for their own programme.
	The carrier is also regularly mentioned in more general discussions between Ministers and other members of our two Ministries of Defence.

Camouflaged Clothing

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the amount of camouflaged clothing that has been issued to members of the Armed Forces that are on standby to go to the Gulf; and what the Government's policy is towards members of the armed forces purchasing driving licences prior to finding out if they will be driving vehicles.

Lewis Moonie: We are taking measures to ensure that our Armed Forces have all the equipment they need to do any tasks required of them. The specific information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Where a member of the Armed Forces is required to drive as part of his or her duties and does not already hold an appropriate licence, the cost of any licence or permit required will be met or reimbursed from public funds.

Depleted Uranium (Dundrennan)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds of depleted uranium ammunition are due to be fired during the current testing programme at Dundrennan firing range; over what period of time this firing will take place; what calibre of ammunition the DU rounds will be; what environmental safeguards have been projected and been implemented for this kind of testing; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: 192 CHARM 3 depleted uranium rounds (120 mm anti-tank rounds) were fired at the Dundrennan range on 3–6 February 2003. With regard to environmental safeguards, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 February 2003, Official Report, column 463W, to the hon. Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (Mr. Duncan).

Fleet Readiness

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy warships (a) are and (b) are due to be placed in a state of extended readiness; and for what purpose in each case.

Adam Ingram: HMS Bridport and RFA Sir Geraint are currently in extended readiness. HMS Triumph and HMS Glasgow are currently planned to go into extended readiness in 2004, and HMS Invincible in 2006. Decisions to place vessels in extended readiness reflect the capabilities that are required to meet current and contingent operational requirements. These plans are subject to regular review, and vessels that are in extended readiness may be reactivated periodically to cater for unforeseen contingencies and thus allow efficient maintenance of current fleet outputs.

Procurement

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters he plans to buy in the next three years, broken down by (a) type and (b) arm of the armed forces.

Adam Ingram: We will take delivery of the outstanding 31 Apache Helicopters for the Army Air Corps during 2003 under an existing contract. In addition, contracts for the RAF to operate four Bell 412s in Cyprus and for the Army to operate three Bell 212s in Belize will come into effect this year, on a commercially owned, military registered basis.
	It is likely that a number of further helicopter acquisition programmes will be approved over the next three years, but decisions have yet to be taken on the number and type of platform to be purchased or on their delivery schedules.

Smart Weapons

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with European allies on collaboration on targeting of smart weapons.

Lewis Moonie: I assume the hon. Member is referring to the Airborne System for Target Recognition, Identification and Designation (ASTRID), the embryonic European collaborative defence programme involving the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain. In September 2002 signature was obtained on the four nation Statement of Intent, this expresses a commitment to create a common programme through the development of a Joint User Requirement Document and a Memorandum of Understanding. Working level discussions to further both these initial objectives are continuing.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Electricity

Norman Baker: To ask the Solicitor-General what changes in unit payments for electricity have resulted from the switch by her Department to purchasing renewable energy which is exempt from the Climate Change Levy.

Harriet Harman: A holding reply was given on 11 February 2003.
	None of the departments for which the Attorney General is responsible—the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers—have yet switched to purchasing renewable energy.

Service Delivery Agreement

Tony Wright: To ask the Solicitor-General when the (a) Crown Prosecution Service's, (b) Serious Fraud Office's and (c) Treasury Solicitor's Department's service delivery agreements for 2003 to 2006 will be published.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 4 February 2003
	The Crown Prosecution Service will publish its Strategic Plan for the period 2003–2006, and a Business Plan for 2003–2004, before the end of March 2003. These plans set out what the CPS will be doing to deliver its Public Service Agreement
	The Serious Fraud Office will publish agreed service delivery targets before the end of March 2003.
	The service delivery agreement for the Treasury Solicitor's Department will be published in April 2003 alongside its Business Plan for 2003–2004. The service delivery targets and how they will be met is a key feature of that Business Plan.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Iraq

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his Answer of 10 February 2003 to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk), Official Report, column 620W, on world oil prices, what estimate he has made of the effect of (a) a short conflict in Iraq and (b) a prolonged conflict in Iraq on the underlying supply and demand situation for oil.

Brian Wilson: No decision has been taken to launch military action against Iraq. Iraqi oil production currently stands at around 2.5 million barrels per day only 3 per cent. of total world oil production and of which only around 1.5 to 2 million barrels per day is exported. There are a number of other factors such as the weather, supply from other countries, etc which affect the underlying demand and supply balance of the oil market: e.g. OPEC producers are likely to increase their production to cover any loss of Iraqi supply; seasonal oil demand is reducing; and the International Energy Agency has general arrangements in place to take international action, including release of stocks, in case of a supply disruption.

Severn Barrage

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research has been completed on the Severn barrage.

Brian Wilson: Between 1978 and 1994 the Government supported a number of studies under its Tidal Energy Research and Development Programme. Specifically, an assessment of the feasibility of a Severn barrage was published in 1981 as Energy Paper 46 1 . Between 1983 and 1985 an Interim Study 2 assessed the technical and financial viability of a Severn barrage leading to a further programme of research reported in 1989 as Energy Paper 57 3 .
	Between 1990 and 1993 further environmental and regional studies were carried out. In 2001 a study was commissioned to examine the merits for a re-appraisal of the Severn barrage. The report was published in early 2003 and can be seen at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/renewables/severn.shtml
	1 Energy Paper 46 HMSO 1981 (ISBN 011 4109168 and 410919 2)
	2 Tidal Power from the Severn, STPG, 1986 (ISBN 07277 03587 and 0368 4)
	3 Energy Paper 57 HMSO 1989 (ISBN 0 11 412952 5)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the impact on the environment of the working time directive in respect of carbon dioxide emissions; and if she will seek a derogation from this Directive in respect of the quarrying and construction industries.

Alan Johnson: I have made no such assessment, having received no representations on the matter, and do not intend to seek any derogations on these lines.

Credit Cards

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to ensure transparency in the credit card market.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, North and Leith (Mr. Lazarovicz), on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 366W.

Fireworks

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what areas have been targeted for the pilot scheme targeting over-18s throwing fireworks in the street; and how many fixed penalty notices have been issued.

John Denham: I have been asked to reply.
	Penalty notices for 11 disorder offences, including that of throwing fireworks in the street, are being piloted in four police force areas: West Midlands, including the British Transport Police; Essex; North Wales; and Croydon division of the Metropolitan Police. The pilots will be evaluated prior to a decision being made on rolling out the scheme nationally. Detailed data on the numbers of penalty notices issued will be included in this report, which will be published.

Grant Allocations

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list (a) the grant schemes operated by her Department, and (b) the sums of money made available to stimulate new technology in (i) solar power, (ii) heat pumps used for space and water heating purposes, (iii) combined heat and power and micro-chip, (iv) micro-wind power, (v) bio-mass driven electricity generation and (vi) other low, or zero-carbon technologies used for generating heat or electricity.

Brian Wilson: The technology stimulation schemes being operated by the Department and the sums of money available are set out as follows:
	
		
			  £ million  
		
		
			 Offshore wind electricity generation: (including £10 million from the New Opportunities Fund) 74 
			 Biomass driven electricity and heat generation (including £36 million from the New Opportunities Fund; and £34 million for biomass heat) 66 
			 First phase of Major Solar Photo voltaics (PV) Demonstration Programme 20 
			 "Clear Skies" scheme for community and household projects (including solar water heating, heat pumps, micro-wind and micro-hydro) 10 
			 Wave and Tidal Energy Demonstration Projects 5 
		
	
	The Department is also making available £19 million per year for the New and Renewable Energy programme which provides research grants for renewable energy projects.
	DEFRA leads within Government on combined heat and power (CHP) and provides support, as set out as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 Community Energy to install and refurbish community heating networks, mainly based on CHP 50 
			 Energy Crops Scheme to establish energy crops for biomass heat, CHP and electricity generation and to set up producer groups for growers of short rotation coppice 29 
			 Bio-energy infrastructure scheme to develop biomass supply-chains 3.5 
		
	
	In addition, the Carbon Trust's Low Carbon Innovation Programme can provide, inter alia, grants across a wide range of innovative low carbon projects.

LPG

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on the future growth of the market for automotive liquid petroleum gas.

Alan Johnson: Ministers and officials have regular contact with representatives of the Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) industry, (including those concerned with automotive LPG such as the LP Gas Association) vehicle manufacturers, and other stakeholders.
	In the UK we have over 75,000 vehicles running on LPG, and the market is currently growing at a rate of some 30,000 vehicles per year.

TRANSPORT

Correspondence

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will respond to the request from the right hon. Member for Wokingham of 17 June 2002 for information held on the right hon. Member by the Department.

John Spellar: The information requested was sent to the right hon. Member on 21 February 2003.

First North Western

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has collected about cancellations of rail services by First North Western Trains during the past 12 months.

David Jamieson: In the last 12 months First North Western were scheduled to provide 438,735 train services of which 12,937 or 2.95 per cent. were cancelled. This figure does not include services which were withdrawn as part of a published emergency timetable.

Strategic Rail Authority

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he reconciles the Strategic Rail Authority's goal of a 50 per cent. growth in passenger traffic between 2000–01 and 2010–11 with the Strategic Rail Authority's planning forecast, as reported in their Strategic Plan, that passenger rail travel will be 25 to 35 per cent. greater in passenger kilometre terms than it was at the beginning of the 10 year plan period.

David Jamieson: 50 per cent. is a target. The SRA's Strategic Plan gives a snapshot of potential growth. 25–35 per cent. is a current forecast. It is liable to change.

Thames Gateway

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional allocations for transport infrastructure he has made to support the increase in the numbers of homes and new communities planned for the Thames Gateway London area, as set out in the Deputy Prime Minister's Sustainable Communities Plan.

David Jamieson: Substantial improvements in transport in the Thames Gateway have already taken place, and significant additional resources are already committed or planned for further improvements.
	We are now considering how far and to what timescale we should seek to develop the Thames Gateway further, including the funding implications of the infrastructure required and how those who benefit from new development might contribute to the cost of this infrastructure. We will set out in due course the level of development the Government would like to see in the Gateway and is prepared to support.

WALES

Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much producing his Department's latest Annual Report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Peter Hain: The cost of producing the Department's latest Annual Report was £20,200; the number of copies printed is a matter for the Stationery Office; most copies which were sold are believed to have been bought at a discount by libraries and similar institutions with subscriptions for Command Papers; copies of the report have been provided to hon. and right hon. Members representing Welsh constituencies and some hon. and right. hon. Members with particular Welsh interests, some other Government Departments, the Welsh Assembly and internally within my Department; fewer than 100.

Departmental Consultations

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list consultations his Department has conducted since it was established; and when each consultation (a) opened and (b) closed.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 26 September 2002, Official Report, column 209W.
	Since that date consultations have taken place on:
	the Department's draft Welsh Language scheme, opening on 19 August 2002 and closing on 11 October 2002
	ombudsmen's services in Wales, opening on 4 December 2002 and closing on 7 February 2003

E-mail Addresses

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by what e-mail address members of the public may contact (a) him and (b) each of the Ministers in his Department; and for each e-mail address if he will state (i) the date it became active and (ii) the number of e-mails received in each month since activation.

Peter Hain: Both I and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State may be contacted at wales.office@wales.gsi.gov.uk
	This address has been active since 1 November 2000. Statistics for the amount of mail received are not routinely kept. However in January 2003 it received 131 e-mails.

Gwydyr House

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when and by whom Gwydyr House headquarters were valued for the purposes of the National Asset Register; what his latest valuation of this property is; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Gwydyr House was valued on 31 March 2000 by GVA Grimley, Chartered Surveyors; £1.7 million.

Heritage Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what sales of heritage assets and antique assets have been made by his Department since May 1997; if he will list other assets; and if he will estimate the total sales proceeds.

Peter Hain: No such sales have taken place since my Department was created in July 1999. As a non-executive Department, the Wales Office assets are restricted to its headquarters accommodation (a listed building) and furniture and other office equipment.

IT Contracts

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list IT contracts in his Department and its predecessors above £50 million in each of the last 10 years; what the inception date for each system was; when it became fully functional; when it became fully debugged; and what the cost of over-runs has been.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave my right hon. Friend the Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 17 July 2001, Official Report, column 125W.
	The total cost will now be £64.4 million, reflecting the growth in the number of users over the life of the system.

Laptops

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many laptop computers were used by (a) Ministers and special advisers and (b) officials in his Department in each year since 1995; how many were (i) lost and (ii) stolen; what their cost was; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Since the creation of the Wales Office in 1999 there have been no losses or thefts of laptops. During the time of the Welsh Office, there was the loss of ancillary cabling equipment for a laptop total cost of which was £107.00.
	There are currently two laptops allocated to Ministers and special advisers; two allocated to officials and one available for use when the Cabinet Office Briefing Room COBR has been convened.

Ministerial Meetings

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which overseas delegations and overseas ambassadors met Welsh Office Ministers in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Since the Wales Office was established on 1 July 1999, Ministers have met the following overseas delegations or ambassadors:
	1999
	Japanese Ambassador
	American Ambassador
	Belgian Ambassador
	2000
	Belgium Ambassador
	Delegation from Lower Saxony, Germany
	Delegation from Nigeria
	Delegate from the American Embassy
	Bavarian State Minister for Euro Affairs
	2001
	Delegations from the Government of the Czech Republic
	Delegate from American Embassy
	Hungarian Ambassador
	Delegation from the Spanish Government.
	Delegation from Slovakia
	2002
	Spanish Ambassador
	Danish Ambassador
	Slovakian Ambassador
	Delegate from American Embassy
	2003
	Canadian High Commissioner
	Delegation of Polish MPs
	There were also receptions and other occasions where informal meetings may have taken place with overseas representatives, but no record of these meetings has been kept.

Ministerial Travel

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his estimate is of the total expenditure by his Department on ministerial travel (a) in the UK and (b) abroad, in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (estimated); and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The information is as follows:
	(a) Detailed information requested in respect of UK travel is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	(b) I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

Online Sales /Purchases

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what (a) products, (b) goods and (c) services were (i) bought and (ii) sold online by his Department in each of the last five years.

Peter Hain: None since the creation of my Department in July 1999.

Press Releases

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each (a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office does not record its press release count on a quarterly basis.
	In 1995–96, the Welsh Office issued 581 press releases; in 1996–97 549 press releases; in 1997–98 650 press releases; in 1998–99 774 press releases; in 1999–2000 776 press releases.
	Since its creation in July 1999, the Wales Office has issued 30 press releases in 1999–2000; 100 press releases in 2000–01; 86 press releases in 2001–02; and 129 in 2002–03.

Public Spending

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his estimate is of the real rise in the total of public spending on the Welsh Office between 1999–2000 and 2001–02; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Expenditure at 1999–2000 prices (as measured by the GDP deflator at market prices) was £1.485 million in 1999–2000 and £3.368 million in 2001–02, an increase of £1.883 million.
	This increase primarily reflects the fact that the Wales Office was only in existence for three-quarters of 1999–2000 and was still recruiting its staff for much of the year.

Service Delivery Agreement

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Wales Office's Service Delivery Agreement for 2003 to 2006 will be published.

Peter Hain: Rather than producing a separate Service Delivery Agreement, the Wales Office will cover its main elements in its departmental reports, which are published each spring.

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many statutory instruments have been issued by his Department in each calendar year since 1979.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office was formed on 1 July 1999. The information from 1999 onwards is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999 1 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 4 
			 2002 2 
		
	
	This excludes a number of Orders in Council the drafting of which is the responsibility of my Department and a number of statutory instruments of which my predecessor was a joint signatory.

Welsh Office Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the expenditure of his Department on (a) the North Wales Child Abuse Tribunal and (b) the expenses of the Lord Lieutenant in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: In 2001–02, expenditure on (a) the North Wales Child Abuse Tribunal was £66,000 and (b) Lords-Lieutenant's expenses were £17,000.

TREASURY

Aggregate Tax

Roy Beggs: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which quarries in Northern Ireland are paying aggregate tax, broken down by constituency.

John Healey: There are 112 quarry companies in Northern Ireland registered for aggregates levy. A breakdown by constituency is not available but these are broken down by county as follows:
	Belfast—4
	Antrim—14
	Armagh—12
	Derry—15
	Down—23
	Fermanagh—9
	Tyrone—35
	In addition there are quarries in Northern Ireland which are owned by companies in other parts of the UK for aggregates levy.

Life Insurance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reports he has received on (a) the policy of insurance companies regarding people who have recovered from cancer and who are seeking life insurance and (b) the impact of such policies on securing a mortgage.

Ruth Kelly: None. But if the hon. Member has specific concerns perhaps he would he write to me.

Retread Tyre Industry

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on discussions his Department has had with the retread tyre industry regarding the Climate Change Levy.

John Healey: As part of the normal process of contact with business, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Treasury ministerial team meet a variety of businesses and business organisations and hear a range of representations. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his answer of 11 February 2003, Official Report, columns 114–15, in line with previous Administrations, it is not this Government's practice to provide details of the meetings and discussions they routinely have with a wide range of organisations.

Student Finance

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the additional cost to the Treasury in each of the five years from 2006 if all Universities in England and Wales implemented the proposed graduate contribution at the highest level of £3,000 per annum in respect of all eligible students assuming (a) that student numbers remain at the current level and (b) that the Government achieves its target of 50 per cent. participation in higher education.

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 6 February 2003, Official Report, column 396W, on higher education, what research his Department commissioned to conclude that the proposals included in the White Paper would have a positive impact on the economy; and if he will publish the research.

Paul Boateng: The Treasury has not commissioned any external research as part of the formulation of the White Paper proposals. However as part of the process of policy development, the Government makes various analyses. In accordance with Exemption Two (internal discussion and advice) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information such advice is not usually disclosed.

Tax Returns

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Inland Revenue has made of the trends in revenues from (a) the special investigation, (b) late filing, (c) company non compliance, (d) pre SA intelligence work, (e) company aspect enquiries, (f) non business SA inquiries and (g) section SA investigations, non compliance and full business reviews; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The total revenue from the Inland Revenue's work in these areas increased from £865 million in 1999–2000 to £990 million in 2000–01 and again to £1,090 million in 2001–02. The trends in revenue are therefore firmly upwards.

Tobacco Smuggling

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 4 February 2003, Official Report, column 185W, on tobacco smuggling, what the costs of the research undertaken for (a) the 2000 report on tobacco smuggling and (b) the 2002 reports were; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: A mixture of internal and external research was undertaken for the 2000 report "Tackling Tobacco Smuggling" and the two reports published by Customs and Excise in November 2002. The estimated cost to HM Customs and Excise of the external research used in "Tackling Tobacco Smuggling" is £55,000. The estimated cost to HM Customs and Excise of external research used in the two reports published by HM Customs and Excise in November 2002 is £100,000. No estimate is available of the cost of the internal research. The measures announced in "Tackling Tobacco Smuggling" were expected to yield additional revenues of £435 million (in 2000–01), £1,120 million (2001–02), £1,630 million (2002–03), and £2,015 million (2003–04).

Treasury Stress Audit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of the HM Treasury stress audit carried out in 1999; and what plans there are to carry out another such audit.

Ruth Kelly: The stress audit carried out in 1999 cost 40,901.05. The Department will be carrying out a follow up audit in April 2003.

Unpaid Tax

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the amount of tax unpaid each year since 1995–96, broken down by (a) tax avoidance, (b) tax evasion, (c) late payment and (d) other causes; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: No reliable overall measure is available in relation to tax evasion and avoidance. In the last 10 years, in proportion to the tax involved, tax unpaid at the end of the Inland Revenue's accounting year has approximately halved, and tax remitted or written off has reduced from around 2 per cent. to around 0.3 per cent. The figures for tax unpaid and tax remitted or written off are set out each year in the Inland Revenue's Annual Report, copies of which are in the Library.

Working Families Tax Credit

Graham Allen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the tax burden is on a single earner family on average earnings with two children, claiming the working families tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: As set out in Table 13.10 of the 2002–03 Tax Benefit Reference Manual, which is placed in the House of Commons Library, the direct tax burden on a single earner family on male mean earnings with two children was 18.7 per cent. in 2002–03, lower than it was in 1997–98 or any previous year since 1972–73.

Zambia

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy that increased multilateral debt relief for Zambia be dependent on the privatisation of (a) the Zambia National Bank, (b) the power utility Zesco and (c) the telephone company Zamtel.

John Healey: Multilateral debt relief for Zambia is provided through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under the HIPC initiative a country receives interim debt relief on payments due when it reaches Decision Point and subsequently the debt is irrevocably cancelled at Completion Point. The UK supports this internationally agreed policy.
	To reach Decision Point and demonstrate its commitment to poverty reduction, a country must prepare an Interim-Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). To reach Completion Point it needs to develop a full PRSP, and usually make progress in implementing it for one year.
	The PRSP is drawn up by the country, with the participation of civil society, to show how debt relief and other resources will be targeted on reducing poverty. The country must also be on track with its IMF programme for which there will be a range of conditions, for example on macro-economic stability or public sector management.The IMF is committed to ensuring that the social impact of key macro-economic reforms is analysed to ensure that reforms are designed appropriately and negative consequences addressed. For example, the IMF carried out an analysis of the possible social impact of the privatisation of the Zambia National Bank and the Zambian Government plans to develop a strategic plan that will consider the future of rural branches and design an appropriate institutional structure for rural services, which might include seeking technical and financial assistance from donors for the purpose.
	Hence to reach Completion Point countries must demonstrate a commitment to poverty reduction and economic reform by meeting key conditions (or Completion Point triggers). These conditions may include privatisations or reforms that address the effectiveness and financing of parastatal companies, and thus support the country's strategy for reducing poverty.
	For Zambia the key conditions, for multilateral debt relief through the internationally agreed HIPC initiative, include progress in combating HIV/AIDs, education and health sector reform along with macro-economic and structural reforms. The Completion Point triggers in relation to the Zambia National Bank and the power utility Zesco require the issuance of international bidding documents for the sale of a majority (controlling) interest. The telephone company Zamtel no longer has a domestic monopoly, and while the sale of a substantial share is part of Zambia's overall poverty reduction strategy it is not a Completion Point trigger.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Bail Conditions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders broke the terms of their bail conditions last year and were not recaptured; and what action he is taking to reduce this number.

Hilary Benn: In 2001, about 77,700 people who had been bailed to appear at court failed to do so, representing 13 per cent. of defendants at magistrates' courts and 10 per cent. of Crown Court defendants (13 per cent. overall). Figures are not available for what proportion of those failing to appear were subsequently re-arrested and brought back to court, or how many defendants broke the terms of bail conditions.
	The Government is working with criminal justice agencies to reduce the number of defendants who fail to surrender to bail and to ensure that failure to surrender is dealt with robustly by the prosecution, the courts and the police. In particular we are examining what more can be done to ensure effective enforcement of bench warrants.
	It is important that bail should be used appropriately, and the Government keeps the legislation relating to bail under review in order to ensure that it does everything possible to ensure this. The Criminal Justice Bill now before Parliament makes several changes, including extending the prosecution's right to appeal against a decision by magistrates to grant bail.

Asylum Seekers

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers whose applications are awaiting determination have received work permits in each of the last three years.

Beverley Hughes: Where an employer applies for a work permit for an overseas national who is already in the United Kingdom, the Home Office will first consider whether the application meets the criteria of the work permit arrangements before considering whether, under the Immigration Rules, the overseas national may be granted leave to remain for the purpose of work permit employment. If the overseas national has an outstanding application for asylum, the usual course would be to defer consideration of granting leave to remain for the purpose of work permit employment until the overseas national's asylum application was resolved.
	However, the outcome of the initial consideration of the application against the work permit criteria is recorded on a separate database to that which holds the immigration application against the work permit criteria is recorded on a separate database to that which holds the immigration status and it is, therefore, not possible to match the data on these separate databases in order to provide the information requested.

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct a review of persons granted (a) exceptional leave to remain and (b) indefinite leave to remain in the last five years; if he will assess whether any such persons have breached the conditions of their leave as part of the review; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 25 February 2003
	Grants of exceptional leave to remain (ELR) are not normally subject to conditions, and indefinite leave to remain (ILR) cannot be made subject to conditions. The question of a breach of conditions attached to such leave does not therefore arise.
	The cases of those granted ILR are reviewed if they come to serious adverse notice. The cases of those granted ELR are considered when they apply for further leave, or if they come to serious adverse notice in the meantime. It would be impractical to review all grants of ILR and ELR made in the past five years but we will continue to review individual cases where appropriate.

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in (a) his Department and (b) other bodies are working (i) full-time and (ii) part-time in connection with the removal of rejected asylum seekers from the UK.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 25 February 2003
	The Home Office liaises with a number of different Government Departments and external agencies when dealing with the removal of failed asylum seekers. For example we have links with the Lord Chancellor's Department, Police, Inland Revenue, Department of Works and Pensions and local authorities.
	In total, 12,155 staff work within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. There are 3,969 staff working within the Integrated Casework Directorate, which deals with casework and decision making for asylum, after-entry, nationality and work permits, and 6,213 in the Immigration Service.
	We estimate that around 1,220 full time equivalents are working on direct operational activity and 1,260 providing support to operational activity. Around a further 170 full time equivalents are working on intelligence and 160 on contact management.
	A breakdown of how many staff both in the Department and in other agencies specifically dealing with failed asylum claims may be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Community Sentences

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of (a) men and (b) women serving community sentences in the last two years breached the terms of their sentence.

Hilary Benn: The information requested for England and Wales for the years 2000 and 2001 is contained in the table.
	Data for 2002 is not yet available.
	
		Offenders whose breaches(1) of original community sentence or order were proved to the satisfaction of the court by type of sentence or order breached and the proportion breaching original orders—England and Wales -- Numbers and percentages
		
			2000   2001 
			  Male Female Total Male Female Total 
		
		
			  Number of offenders breaching orders 
			 Community rehabilitation order(2) 10,699 2,759 13,458 10,512 2,816 13,328 
			 Supervision order 741 142 883 968 170 1,138 
			 Community punishment order(2) 15,956 1,375 17,331 14,805 1,314 16,119 
			 Attendance centre order 1,332 127 1,459 870 105 975 
			 Community punishment and rehabilitation order(2) 6,457 620 7,077 6,279 638 6,917 
			 Curfew order 409 64 473 674 87 761 
			 Reparation order 38 5 43 127 42 169 
			 Action plan order 102 19 121 340 75 415 
			 Drug treatment and testing order 35 3 38 614 109 723 
			 Total community sentences 35,769 5,114 40,883 35,189 5,356 40,545 
			 Number of offenders sentenced 
			 Community rehabilitation order(2) 44,271 12,188 56,459 46,295 12,022 58,497 
			 Supervision order 9,711 1,845 11,556 9,330 1,753 11,083 
			 Community punishment order(2) 44,517 5,466 49,983 44,052 5,712 49,764 
			 Attendance centre order 6,459 582 7,041 5,364 460 5,824 
			 Community punishment and rehabilitation order(2) 17,300 1,941 19,241 13,199 1,463 14,662 
			 Curfew order 2,325 272 2,597 3,467 396 3,863 
			 Reparation order 3,382 602 3,984 6,746 1,229 7,975 
			 Action plan order 3,678 678 4,356 7,229 1,421 8,650 
			 Drug treatment and testing order 270 51 321 3,566 663 4,229 
			 Total community sentences 131,913 23,625 155,538 139,878 25,119 164,997 
			 Offenders breaching orders as a percentage of offenders sentenced(3) 
			 Community rehabilitation order(2) 24 23 23 23 23 23 
			 Supervision order 7 7 7 10 9 10 
			 Community punishment order(2) 36 26 35 33 24 32 
			 Attendance centre order 18 20 19 15 20 15 
			 Community punishment and rehabilitation order(2) 36 31 35 41 37 41 
			 Curfew order 22 28 23 23 26 24 
			 Reparation order (4)— (4)— (4)— (4)— (4)— (4)— 
			 Action plan order (4)— (4)— (4)— (4)— (4)— (4)— 
			 Drug treatment and testing order (4)— (4)— (4)— (4)— (4)— (4)— 
			 Total community sentences 28 23 27 28 23 27 
		
	
	(1) Breaches cover the commission of further offences or the breaking of other conditions laid down in the orders. Examples of such "other conditions" include, among other things: Requirements as to residence; to participate in or refrain from specified activities; attendance at probation centre; to undergo treatment for medical condition or drug/alcohol dependency.
	(2) New names for these community sentences came into force in April 2001. Community rehabilitation order was previously probation order, community punishment order was previously community service order and community punishment and rehabilitation order was previously combination order.
	(3) An approximation to the breach rate because offenders breaching in one year may have been given the sentence or order in an earlier year. The average of the number of sentences for the year indicated and in the previous year has been used as the denominator to provide a better estimate.
	(4) not available. (These orders have not been available for a sufficient length of time for a breach rate to be calculated. Such orders have also been excluded from the breach rate for 'Total Community Sentences').

Joint Enterprise (Murder)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to propose amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill to deal with the use of joint enterprise to reduce a charge of murder by parents or carers of children to a charge of child cruelty.

Hilary Benn: We are considering what measures may be needed to deal with Joint Enterprise, in addition to those already contained in the Bill. The legislative timetable may not permit the measures to be finalised in time for inclusion in the Criminal Justice Bill. If this is the case, we will legislate at the earliest opportunity.

Memorials (Safety)

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what guidance has been given to local authorities about the safety-testing of non-monolithic memorials without approved ground anchor fixing;
	(2)  what action he plans to take to ensure that new memorials are installed to the code of practice produced by the National Association of Memorial Masons.

Hilary Benn: As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member for Westbury (Dr. Murrison) on 27 January 2003, Official Report, Column 622W, we hope to be in a position to issue appropriate guidance later this year in the light of the consideration currently being given to these matters by a Home Office-chaired group of relevant representative and professional organisations.

Overseas Students

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which overseas students paying the full overseas student fee are required to re-register home addresses under the foreign national rules; and why they are required to do so.

Beverley Hughes: Overseas students who are "relevant foreign nationals" and who have been granted leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for a period exceeding six months are normally required to register with their local police force, and to notify them of any subsequent change to their home address. The purpose of the registration scheme is primarily to provide the Security authorities with information about foreign nationals. Countries whose citizens are "relevant foreign nationals" for the purposes of the scheme are listed at Appendix 2 to the Immigration Rules (HC395), as amended by Cm3953.

Police Authorities

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the budgets of police authorities over each of the last five years.

John Denham: Information on police authority budget requirements in England and Wales for the last five years and annual percentage changes are set out in the table. Police Authorities have until 1 March 2003 to set their budget requirements for 2003–04.
	
		
			  1998–99  (£ m) 1999–2000  (£ m) % change 2000–01(£ m) % change 2001–02(£ m) % change 2001–02(£ m) Adjusted 2002–03(£ m) % change 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 164.8 173.3 5.2 181.2 4.6 189.7 4.7 185.6 196.1 5.7 
			 Bedfordshire 61.3 63.4 3.4 66.8 5.4 70.7 5.8 69.2 72.6 4.9 
			 Cambridgeshire 70.8 75.2 6.2 79.5 5.7 84.1 5.8 82.3 90.8 10.4 
			 Cheshire 105.0 111.1 5.8 115.1 3.6 121.8 5.8 119.1 125.0 4.9 
			 City of London 57.3 57.1 -0.3 57.9 1.4 59.7 3.1 58.5 60.4 3.2 
			 Cleveland 79.3 83.3 5.0 86.5 3.8 90.7 4.9 88.8 95.7 7.8 
			 Cumbria 61.9 64.5 4.2 67.4 4.5 70.6 4.7 69.1 72.7 5.2 
			 Derbyshire 98.8 106.5 7.8 111.1 4.3 117.0 5.2 114.4 123.6 8.0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 164.7 175.9 6.8 182.4 3.7 191.1 4.8 186.9 198.4 6.1 
			 Dorset 72.6 77.4 6.6 81.0 4.7 84.6 4.4 82.7 87.9 6.2 
			 Durham 77.0 81.3 5.6 84.0 3.3 87.7 4.3 85.8 89.2 4.0 
			 Dyfed Powys 52.8 55.7 5.5 59.0 5.9 62.9 6.6 62.3 65.3 4.8 
			 Essex 163.6 169.5 3.6 183.1 8 194.8 6.4 190.6 198.5 4.1 
			 Gloucestershire 62.4 66.0 5.8 68.6 3.9 72.2 5.2 70.6 75.0 6.2 
			 Gr. Manchester 365.7 382.5 4.6 393.6 2.9 411.1 4.4 402.3 415.3 3.2 
			 Gwent 67.9 71.4 5.2 76.1 6.6 80.7 6 79.9 84.4 5.6 
			 Hampshire 187.1 196.5 5.0 204.7 4.2 216.2 5.6 211.5 227.5 7.6 
			 Hertfordshire 96.0 101.6 5.8 121.2 19.3 129.3 6.7 126.5 132.7 4.9 
			 Humberside 110.0 114.3 3.9 118.9 4 128.2 7.8 125.4 131.6 4.9 
			 Kent 176.1 184.2 4.6 193.1 4.8 206.7 7 202.2 214.6 6.1 
			 Lancashire 174.4 181.3 4.0 189.6 4.6 198.0 4.4 193.7 202.0 4.3 
			 Leicestershire 101.1 106.3 5.1 110.2 3.7 116.4 5.6 113.9 122.6 7.6 
			 Lincolnshire 65.8 69.7 5.9 72.6 4.2 76.1 4.8 74.4 77.1 3.7 
			 Merseyside 239.6 247.0 3.1 253.7 2.7 271.7 7.1 265.9 268.6 1.0 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,777.5 1,836.2 3.3 1,830.0 -0.3 1,980.1 8.2 1,941.9 2,037.7 4.9 
			 Norfolk 81.0 86.9 7.3 91.5 5.3 98.4 7.5 96.3 104.4 8.4 
			 Northamptonshire 66.1 70.4 6.5 73.4 4.3 76.8 4.6 75.1 81.6 8.6 
			 Northumbria 202.6 212.6 4.9 218.4 2.7 227.6 4.2 222.7 228.6 2.6 
			 North Wales 75.2 79.6 5.9 84.0 5.5 89.5 6.5 88.5 93.5 5.6 
			 North Yorkshire 74.4 78.0 4.8 81.0 3.8 85.9 6 84 93.1 10.9 
			 Nottinghamshire 122.9 129.6 5.5 133.9 3.2 140.3 4.9 137.2 145.2 5.8 
			 South Wales 166.9 170.0 1.8 179.1 5.4 188.9 5.5 187.0 195.0 4.3 
			 South Yorkshire 165.1 173.3 5.0 179.7 3.7 187.2 4.2 183.1 191.4 4.5 
			 Staffordshire 117.2 122.2 4.3 127.0 3.9 134.3 5.7 131.3 137.0 4.3 
			 Suffolk 65.8 69.9 6.2 72.9 4.3 77.6 6.4 75.9 81.2 6.9 
			 Surrey 88.8 93.4 5.2 119.9 28.4 122.4 2.1 119.7 128.6 7.4 
			 Sussex 161.4 168.0 4.1 174.5 3.9 183.9 5.4 179.9 189.8 5.5 
			 Thames Valley 217.4 229.1 5.4 238.3 4 252.1 5.8 246.6 259.3 5.1 
			 Warwickshire 52.8 55.9 5.9 58.9 5.4 62.4 5.9 61. 65.8 7.8 
			 West Mercia 110.3 116.5 5.6 125.7 7.9 133.2 6 130.3 144.4 10.8 
			 West Midlands 367.2 380.9 3.7 394.6 3.6 410.7 4.1 401.8 415.5 3.4 
			 West Yorkshire 278.2 289.1 3.9 301.4 4.3 314.1 4.2 307.3 323.9 5.4 
			 Wiltshire 65.6 68.9 5.0 72.0 4.5 75.6 5.0 74.0 77.6 4.8 
			 Total 7,132.40 7,445.50 4.4 7,713.4 3.6 8,173.0 6.0 8,005.30 8,421.2 5.2

Police Pension Funds

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the budget of each police force in England was spent on pension funds in 2002–03.

John Denham: The proportion of Net Spending Requirement of each police authority in England estimated to be spent on police pensions in 2002–03 is as follows. Information on civilian contributions is not held.
	
		Police Pension Expenditure as Proportion of Net Spending Requirement in 2002–03
		
			 English authorities Proportion (percentage) 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 17.6 
			 Bedfordshire 12.8 
			 Cambridgeshire 12.8 
			 Cheshire 14.1 
			 Cleveland 15.6 
			 Cumbria 16.6 
			 Derbyshire 12.9 
			 Devon and Cornwall 14.8 
			 Dorset 15.2 
			 Durham 13.3 
			 Essex 13.4 
			 Gloucestershire 15.5 
			 Hampshire 12.3 
			 Hertfordshire 10.9 
			 Humberside 13.6 
			 Kent 13.8 
			 Lancashire 15.1 
			 Leicestershire 13.6 
			 Lincolnshire 17.5 
			 Norfolk 12.7 
			 Northamptonshire 10.7 
			 North Yorkshire 17.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 16.5 
			 Staffordshire 14.1 
			 Suffolk 15.0 
			 Surrey 11.1 
			 Sussex 15.7 
			 Thames Valley 10.9 
			 Warwickshire 16.7 
			 West Mercia 13.5 
			 Wiltshire 12.1 
			 Greater Manchester 16.5 
			 Merseyside 17.4 
			 Northumbria 15.3 
			 South Yorkshire 13.4 
			 West Midlands 13.0 
			 West Yorkshire 15.4 
			 City of London 16.5 
			 Metropolitan Police 13.1 
			 Total 14.1 
		
	
	Source:
	CIPFA Police Statistics 2002–03 estimates, published September 2002.

Re-registration Fees (Foreign Nationals)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the re-registration fees for relevant foreign nationals are in each police authority area.

Beverley Hughes: The standard police registration fee of £34 applies to each police authority area. Relevant foreign nationals will generally only be charged a £34 fee for re-registration if they have been absent from the UK for more than one year.

Street Crime

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what proportion of street crime offenders with drug problems are fast-tracked into drug treatment services within 24 hours of their arrest or release from custody;
	(2)  what proportion of street crime offenders with drug problems who were fast-racked into drug treatment services within 24 hours of their arrest or release from custody have subsequently re-offended.

Bob Ainsworth: Tackling the causes of offending is an integral part of the street crime initiative. To this end, provision exists for those who are arrested for a street crime offence and who are drug dependent, whose offence is linked to their drug dependency and who are willing to access treatment to do so within 24 hours of release into the community (whether on bail, following release from custody, or on receipt of a community sentence following a custodial remand). Participation is voluntary and not all those misusing drugs make use of the scheme. Delays in accessing treatment beyond 24 hours can be explained in some cases by release occurring over a weekend or by offenders simply not keeping initial appointments.
	Of those who have, to date 62 per cent. of the reported individuals entered treatment within 24 hours of release. 15 per cent. were seen within two to three days, and 21 per cent. were seen between four to seven days. The remaining three per cent. were seen between one to two weeks after release from custody.
	Information on re-offending by those accessing drug treatment under the Street Crime Initiative is not available.

Work Permits

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 535W, on permits, if he will break down the figures for 1996 to 2001 by applications granted (a) in country and (b) in the UK; and whether the dates referred to are calendar years.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 25 February 2003
	The number of in-country and out-country work permits issued in the last seven years are given in the table:
	
		
			 Year In-Country Out-Country 
		
		
			 1996 12,609 25,647 
			 1997 14,219 30,739 
			 1998 18,096 35,866 
			 1999 21,048 39,695 
			 2000 28,982 59,669 
			 2001 47,755 73,072 
			 2002 64,396 71,755 
		
	
	The dates referred to are calendar years.

Young Offenders

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 542W, on the intensive supervision and surveillance programme, how many young offenders have taken part in the intensive supervision and surveillance programme since 2001; and what the re-offence rate is.

Hilary Benn: 3,570 young people have started on the programme. Reconviction rates are not yet available. The programme is being evaluated by Oxford University: the final report with reconvictions is due in March 2004.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Education Spending

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the spending per head on pupils in Nottingham, North was in 1997; and what the spending per head was in the latest period for which figures are available

David Miliband: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas. The available information for Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City local education authorities is contained in the following tables.
	
		Real Terms: net current expenditure (after recharges)(5) per pupil(6) in the pre-primary sector, maintained primary schools and maintained secondary schools in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire local education authority areas, financial years 1996–97 to 2001–02(real terms)(7)
		
			  Local educationauthority areas Pre-primary and primary(8) per pupil spend (£) Secondary per pupil spend (£) Total spend (£000s) Total per pupil spend (£) 
		
		
			 Pre-LGR(9) 
			 1996–97 Nottinghamshire 2,210 2,960 384,590 2,520 
			 1997–98 Nottinghamshire 2,160 2,890 376,180 2,460 
			 Post-LGR(9) 
			 1998–99 NottinghamshireNottingham City 2,250 
			 2,440 2,820 
			 3,520 289,770 
			 104,730 2,510 
			 2,770 
			 1999–2000 NottinghamshireCity of Nottingham 2,320 
			 2,610 2,810 
			 3,160 299,410 
			 111,020 2,540 
			 2,800 
			 2000–01 NottinghamshireNottingham City 2,580 
			 2,740 2,890 
			 3,510 322,400 
			 117,920 2,720 
			 3,010 
			 2001–02 NottinghamshireNottingham City 2,710 
			 3,200 3,170 
			 3,880 345,802 
			 132,837 2,920 
			 3,450 
		
	
	(5) NCE includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by LEAs.
	(6) Financial year pupils are used. These are calculated from Annual Schools' Census data.
	(7) The real terms figures have been calculated at 2001–02 prices, using December 2002 gross domestic product deflators.
	(8) The spend per pupil figures for pre-primary/primary relates the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector and maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector.
	(9) Nottinghamshire LEA was subject to the Local Government Re-organisation in April 1998, and therefore, pre-LGR and post-LGR Nottinghamshire are not directly comparable.
	Note:
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10.
	Source: 1996–97 to 1998–99 data were drawn from the education Revenue Outturn statements submitted to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions. 1999–2000 and 2000–01 data were drawn from Section 52 (Table 3) outturn statements, which LEAs submitted to the DfES.
	
		Cash Terms: net current expenditure (after recharges)(10) per pupil(11) in the pre-primary sector, maintained primary schools and maintained secondary schools in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire local education authority areas, financial years 1996–97 to 2001–02(cash terms)
		
			  Local educationauthority areas Pre-primary and primary(12) per pupil spend (£) Secondary per pupil spend (£) Total spend (£000s) Total per pupil spend (£) 
		
		
			 Pre-LGR(13) 
			 1996–97 Nottinghamshire 1,950 2,610 339,210 2,220 
			 1997–98 Nottinghamshire 1,960 2,630 342,040 2,240 
			 Post-LGR(13) 
			 1998–99 NottinghamshireCity of Nottingham 2,110 
			 2,280 2,630 
			 3,290 270,710 
			 97,840 2,340 
			 2,580 
			 1999–2000 NottinghamshireCity of Nottingham 2,220 
			 2,490 2,690 
			 3,020 286,481 
			 106,224 2,430 
			 2,680 
			 2000–01 NottinghamshireCity of Nottingham 2,520 
			 2,680 2,830 
			 3,440 315,307 
			 115,330 2,660 
			 2,950 
			 2001–02 NottinghamshireCity of Nottingham 2,710 
			 3,200 3,170 
			 3,880 345,802 
			 132,837 2,920 
			 3,450 
		
	
	(10) NCE includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by LEAs.
	(11) Financial year pupils are used. These are calculated from Annual Schools' Census data.
	(12) The spend per pupil figures for pre-primary/primary relates the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector and maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector.
	(13) Nottinghamshire LEA was subject to the Local Government Re-organisation (LGR) in April 1998, and therefore, pre-LGR and post-LGR and post-LGR Nottinghamshire are not directly comparable.
	Note:
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10.
	Source:
	1996–97 to 1998–99 data were drawn from the education Revenue Outturn statements submitted to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions. 1999–2000 and 2000–01 data were drawn from Section 52 (Table 3) outturn statements which LEAs submitted to the DfES.

Faith Schools

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his policy is on the establishment of new faith schools; and how many new faith schools within the maintained sector are proposed.

David Miliband: The Government believes parents should have a range of schools to choose from, including faith schools.
	Decisions about opening new schools, including faith schools, are made locally by the School Organisation Committee for the LEA area, or by an independent Schools Adjudicator if the Committee cannot agree. We have been informed of proposals for 12 new faith schools that have been published since September 2001 and approved by School Organisation Committees.

Higher Education

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evidence was assessed on the effect on credit ratings of increasing levels of graduate debt, in drawing up the proposals in the policy document, The Future of Higher Education; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: In setting the maximum level of the variable fee we considered carefully the level of contribution graduates would have to make after graduation. We did not commission specific research on the effect of credit ratings.

Higher Education

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the net financial (a) gain and (b) loss per student of his proposals, for students with family incomes of £10,000 pa, and for each additional £1,000 pa up to £80,000 pa, for each university and higher education institution.

Charles Clarke: Since this will depend on decisions by individual institutions over their fee levels and on students' own choices it is not possible to provide this kind of analysis.
	We are planning to introduce a Higher Education Grant of £1,000 a year for students from lower income backgrounds starting in autumn 2004. The Government will also continue to provide a grant for tuition fees worth £1,100 in 2002/03 for students with family incomes of up to £20,000 and a proportion of that for those students whose family income is between £20,000 and £30,000.

Higher Education

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate the required shortfall in higher education shortfall funding; and if he will assess the impact of expanding the provision of higher education on the funding for higher education.

Charles Clarke: I have nothing to add on these matters to my statement on 22 January 2003 and the White Paper published on that day.

IT Training

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will set out the training given for the teaching of IT skills in the Post Graduate Certificate of Education (a) for IT specialists and (b) for general certificates.

Charles Clarke: All teachers should be competent in the use of information and communications technology (ICT). Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools' Annual Report has confirmed that most generalist courses of initial teacher training prepare trainees appropriately to make best use of ICT in the classroom and all newly-qualified teachers are required to pass a skills test in ICT before their qualification is recognised. It is also a requirement that candidates taking specialist courses of initial teacher training for secondary teachers of ICT must achieve degree-equivalent knowledge of that subject before Qualified Teacher Status can be awarded.
	On 24 January, the Teacher Training Agency announced that it was making an additional £5 million available to support the training of teachers in ICT offered by schools, colleges and universities.

Online Sales/Purchases

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) products, (b) goods and (c) services were (i) bought and (ii) sold online by his Department in each of the last five years.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 10 February 2003
	During the last five years my Department has bought the following products, goods and services online:
	official publications and books;
	travel tickets via the framework contract;
	hotel accommodation via the framework contract;
	mobile phones;
	PC's, laptops and computer servers;
	installation of a computer network link;
	maintenance of video conferencing equipment;
	recruitment of temporary administrative and secretarial staff via the framework contract;
	budget air/rail tickets direct from providers.
	Additionally 17 per cent. of Departmental publications are ordered by the public via email, although the vast majority of these are free publications.

Secondary Education

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of (a) generic skills and (b) specialist learning in 14 to 19 secondary education.

David Miliband: (a) Generic skills
	Our recent statement '14–19 : opportunity and excellence' set out our vision for a 14–19 phase where all young people can choose from a range of courses and qualifications covering a wide range of general and specialist subjects and skills. Our statement specifically included the following measures on generic skills.
	To help ensure that all young people are well equipped in literacy, numeracy and computer skills we will introduce (from 2004–05 onwards) an entitlement for them to continue studying up to age 19 until they reach the standard of a good GCSE or the corresponding Level 2 key skill qualification. Those going on to higher education or professional study after 19 should be encouraged to achieve a Level 3 qualification in at least one of these skill areas.
	We will invite the 14–19 working group, chaired by Mike Tomlinson, to look at how young people can develop the essential practical skills for life, and how the content of individual subjects and programmes could place a greater emphasis on analysis, problem solving and thinking skills, as well as the presentation and argument of conclusions. Practical and analytical skills are equally essential in adult life and in the workplace. Existing programme and subject requirements do not always sufficiently emphasise these skills.
	In addition, "Skills for Life", the Government's strategy for improving adults' literacy and numeracy skills, identifies young adults as a priority group. We are determined to bring young people who leave school with poor literacy, language and numeracy skills back into learning. These skills are important prerequisites for young adults to find and keep work and overcome potential barriers to participating fully in society.
	(b) Specialist learning
	We have also asked the 14–19 working group to consider the appropriate balance between specialist and general skills in learning programmes for this age group. At present, we believe that for many young people who follow an academic path, particularly at ages 16—18, the range of studies is too specialised and narrow when compared with advanced level students in other countries. We want young people to be able to combine a broad range of studies with more specialist choices that meet their own individual interests and aspirations.

Specialist Schools Programme

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the relationship between the specialist schools programme and the aim of diversity of provision; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Specialist schools are a key driver of the Government's plans to create a more diverse secondary education sector. Schools can currently apply for one of eight specialisms (or they can combine any two). In the secondary strategy document 'A New Specialist System' we introduced two new specialisms—Music and Humanities—and an option for rural schools to add a rural dimension to an existing specialism.
	The Specialist Schools Application Guidance encourages headteachers and governing bodies to investigate which specialism is appropriate for them in the context of collaboration with other local secondary schools and their local education authorities (LEAs) in order to increase diversity and maximise the impact of specialist schools in the locality.
	A significant number of LEAs have been working with their schools on developing a strategy for increasing their specialist provision. Excellence in Cities partnerships in particular, have played a significant role in nominating and deciding when schools should go forward for specialist status. The Diversity Pathfinders LEAs are developing and implementing models of diversity based on the Specialist Schools Programme.
	At the beginning of February, 217 new specialist schools were designated across all eight specialims: 29 Arts, 28 Business & Enterprise, 4 Engineering, 14 Language, 26 Mathematics & Computing, 40 Science, 40 Sports and 29 Technology Colleges, and 7 schools with combined specialisms.
	However, our aim of increasing diversity in the secondary sector goes beyond the Specialist Schools Programme. Academies, again with a special curriculum emphasis, will also contribute to diversity of provision. The first three academies opened in September 2002. We expect at least 33 to be open by 2006 and further academies to be opened beyond that. The Department are also encouraging new providers to come forward and offer new types of schools as they are needed. These providers will include: parents and community groups; private and charitable companies; voluntary groups including church and faith communities; those offering distinctive educational philosophies; and existing schools or consortia of schools.

Teacher Numbers (Derbyshire)

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers (a) left and (b) joined the teaching profession in (i) Derbyshire and (ii) England and Wales in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The table shows the numbers of teachers leaving 1 full-time or part time 2 service in the maintained schools sector and teachers entering or returning 3 to full-time or part-time teaching in the maintained schools sector.
	The National Assembly for Wales is responsible for the supply of teacher data in Wales.
	1 Leavers are those who were in full-time or part-time teaching in the maintained schools sector immediately before the period shown, who were not in service in that sector at the end of the period shown. Teachers leaving are based on pension returns. Some teachers may have moved from known service to service not recorded on the teacher pension return. Some leavers will be taking career breaks and will return to service at a later date.
	2 Around 10 to 20 per cent. of part-timers may not be included.
	3 Those in service in the maintained schools sector at the end of the period shown who were not in service in that sector in England immediately before the period shown. Includes newly qualified entrants, those who deferred entry and those returning from breaks or transferring from outside the maintained schools sector in England.
	
		
			  Leavers Entrants/returners 
		
		
			 Derbyshire 
			 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998(14) 640 500 
			 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999 340 500 
			 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000(15) 540 480 
			 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 n/a(15) n/a(15) 
			 England 
			 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998(14) 39,050 37,900 
			 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999 31,910 36,470 
			 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000(15) 34,930 37,030 
			 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 35,440 40,260 
		
	
	(14) Higher than usual numbers of premature retirements, following changes to the retirement regulations, contributed to the high levels of leavers in 1997–98.
	(15) The most recent data available at LEA level are for 1999–2000.
	Note:
	n/a = not available.

Truancy

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of persistently truant schoolchildren in Lancashire in the last year for which figures are available.

David Miliband: It is not possible to estimate the number of persistently truant school children in Lancashire from the data we have available at present. The data for the national pupil absence survey is collected at school level and there is only one set of figures for each school, so that we cannot identify which children were persistently absent. Information on the characteristics of individual pupils cannot be deduced from this data. However, in 2001/02 there were 17,934 pupils that were absent for at least one half day due to unauthorised absence and the average number of half days they missed was 15.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Arms Exports (Algeria)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to reintroduce a de facto embargo on the sale of military equipment and arms sales to Algeria.

Mike O'Brien: The Government closely scrutinise all export licence applications for Algeria according to the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking into account the circumstances prevailing at the time. In particular, we would be likely to have concerns with any export that might be used for internal repression or affect regional stability.

British Council

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the cost to the British Council of the programmes (a) UK Today, (b) The Edge, (c) Beyond Babel-English on The World Stage, (d) London Fashion Week, (e) Breaking the Trade—The Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire and (f) Elizabeth II and the Commonwealth in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: There was no cost to the British Council for these TV programmes.
	They were made available to the British Council free of charge in order to use overseas for English language training and for the promotion of the UK.

British Prisoners Overseas

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many cases of British nationals convicted abroad since 1997 the Government have intervened to seek release or reduction in sentence; and how many of these people were (a) white and (b) non-white.

Mike O'Brien: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) changed its clemency policy towards British nationals detained overseas in May 2001. Under the new policy, HMG will now consider supporting appeals on compassionate grounds, where there is prima facie evidence of a miscarriage of justice, or where the prisoner is a minor. An appeal for clemency is a request to the detaining state to release the prisoner unconditionally, not reduce the original sentence. Since the new policy came into effect, we have supported appeals on behalf of 15 British nationals. The FCO does not hold statistics on representations made before the introduction of the new clemency policy. Nor does it record the ethnic origin of those who are offered consular assistance.
	As a general rule, HMG will lobby against the death penalty imposed on any British national overseas. In this instance, HMG is not appealing for unconditional release, but for the death penalty to be commuted to imprisonment. We have supported 11 such cases since May 2001.
	Other than lobbying against the death penalty, HMG would not normally appeal for a reduction in sentence. This is on the basis that states must recognise the rights of other sovereign states to sentence according to their own laws. However, HMG would consider making representations to a sentencing state if a British national appeared to have been harshly sentenced purely because of nationality. There have been no instances of this since at least May 2001.
	The welfare of British nationals detained overseas is of primary concern to the FCO. We ensure that prisoners are visited regularly and we raise any concerns that we, prisoners or their relatives may have about their treatment or the conduct of their trial. As a last resort, when all other options have failed, we will consider supporting an appeal for clemency under the criteria outlined above.

British Victims Overseas

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases the British Government have dealt with involving British nationals abroad since 1997 who have (a) disappeared, (b) been murdered or suspected of being murdered, (c) been kidnapped or held hostage and (d) been incarcerated, broken down by country.

Mike O'Brien: The information is as follows:
	(a) Data on cases of British nationals who have disappeared abroad since 1997, broken down by country, cannot be easily obtained and the cost of doing so would be disproportionate.
	(b) In respect of British nationals murdered overseas, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign Office (Mr. Bradshaw) to the hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Mr. Fallon) on 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 318W. This sets out the number of murders by country from 1996 to 2001.
	(c) The following table gives details of British nationals kidnapped/held hostage broken down by country since 1997.
	(d) In respect of British nationals incarcerated abroad, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign Office (Mr. Bradshaw) to my hon. Friend the Member for Tooting (Mr. Cox) on 13 May 2002, Official Report, column 456W. This sets out the number of British nationals imprisoned abroad who have asked the local authorities to inform the British Consulate of their arrest and sentence. The figures are broken down by country, and represent the total on 30 April 2002. To obtain similar data for all years since 1997 would incur disproportionate costs.
	
		British nationals kidnapped or held hostage overseas between 1997–2003
		
			 Country 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Total 
		
		
			 Angola — 1 — — — — — 1 
			 Bangladesh — — — — 1 — — 1 
			 Cambodia — — 1 — — — — 1 
			 Chechnya 2 3 — — — — — 3 
			 China — — 1 — — — — 1 
			 Colombia — — 2 — — 1 1 4 
			 Cyprus 1 — — — — — — 1 
			 Czech republic — 2 — — — — — 2 
			 Democratic Republic of Congo — 1 — 1 — — — 2 
			 Ecuador — — — — — 1 — 1 
			 Ethiopia — — 1 — — — — 1 
			 Gaza (Occupied Territories) — — — — 1 — — 1 
			 Georgia — 1 — 1 — 1 — 3 
			 Greece — — — — 1 — — 1 
			 Indonesia — — — 1 — — — 1 
			 Liberia — — 4 — — — — 4 
			 Nigeria 4 4 18 15 6 — — 43 
			 Philippines — — — — 2 — — 2 
			 Russia — — — — — 3 — 3 
			 Sierra Leone — — 3 13 — — — 16 
			 Slovenia — — 1 — — — — 1 
			 Somalia 1 — — 1 3 — — 4 
			 South Africa — — — — 1 — — 1 
			 Sudan — 1 — — — — — 1 
			 Tajikistan 1 — — — — — — 1 
			 Turkey — — — — 4 — — 4 
			 Uganda — — 6 — — — — 6 
			 Yemen 2 15 4 — 1 — — 20 
			 Totals 11 28 41 32 20 6 1 141

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a substantive reply to his letter of 10 December 2002 regarding a constituent, ref: GV100/79888/NS.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 24 February 2003
	We have learnt that passports were issued to the subjects of the inquiry on 13 December 2002. A substantive reply will be sent to my noble Friend the Baroness Amos shortly.

Ethnic Monitoring

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what ethnic monitoring is undertaken by his Department of the recipients of the delivery of its services to UK citizens abroad.

Mike O'Brien: I am told we do not monitor the delivery of our services on the basis of ethnicity.

EU Enlargement

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answers of 15 January 2003, Official Report, column 630W, on EU accession states, and 7 January 2003, Official Report, column 136W, on the EU, whether the Government plan to give non-financial support to campaigning groups or individuals within the 10 EU accession states; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 7 January 2003, Official Report, column 136W.

Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to commemorate 300 years of British sovereignty in Gibraltar.

Denis MacShane: The Government of Gibraltar has established a 2004 Tercentenary Committee. We will carefully consider any suggestion for UK Government participation in commemorative events.

International Criminal Court

Tony Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will resume negotiations with the United States on the proposed Article 98 bilateral agreement concerning the International Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 February 2003
	Officials met at US request on 17 October 2002 for preliminary discussions. We await a further approach from the US side. The statute of the ICC provides for Article 98.2 agreements in specific circumstances. We will not enter into any agreement with the US unless it is in strict conformity with the statute and the guiding principles agreed with EU partners.

International Criminal Court

Tony Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanism is available for determining the legality of a bilateral treaty concerning the Charter on the International Criminal Court.

Bill Rammell: Article 98.2 of the ICC statute provides that the court may not ask a state for surrender of a suspected person if the request would require that state to act inconsistently with its obligations under a relevant international agreement. If the prosecutor nevertheless made such a request, Article 97 would require the state concerned to consult with the court in order to resolve the matter. The statute also makes provision for a case where a state fails to comply with a request from the court, contrary to its obligations under the statute: in such a case the court may refer the matter to the Assembly of States Parties or, where the Security Council has referred the case, to the Council.

Iran

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Iran's announcement that it intends to produce and reprocess nuclear fuel.

Mike O'Brien: There are long-standing international concerns about Iran's ambitions to pursue a nuclear weapons programme.
	The Director-General of the IAEA has just returned from a visit to Iran to evaluate the concerns that have been raised by a number of reports. We look forward to his report to the IAEA Board of Governors.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom has passed all evidence it has on Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction to the (a) UNMOVIC and (b) IAEA inspectorates in Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: We have regularly briefed the UN inspection teams on such matters. Such briefings have covered all relevant information.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the trilateral French-German-Russian proposals on Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: The proposal made by France and Germany, and subsequently endorsed by Russia, has been carefully considered. Its central principal is that inspections should be allowed to continue without a specific time-limit. The UK believes that the key issue with regard to the UN inspections programme is that Iraq must demonstrate a willingness to co-operate fully and actively with the inspectors.
	Without that full and unconditional Iraqi co-operation, the mandate of the inspectors, established under UNSCR 1284 and reiterated in UNSCR 1441, would be seriously undermined.

Iraq

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the provision of peacekeeping forces within Iraq in the event of military action being taken against that country.

Mike O'Brien: No decision has been taken to launch military action against Iraq. We have been in recent contact (including at the 17–18 February European Council) with all our EU and other major international partners on the role of the international community in the event of military action against Iraq.

IT Contracts

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list IT contracts in his Department above £50 million in each of the last 10 years; what the inception date for each system was; when it became fully functional; when it became fully debugged; and what the cost of over-runs has been.

Bill Rammell: The contract for the FCO's telecommunications network (FTN) (signed in 2000) is worth £165 million over 10 years. The main contract for Prism, which provides an integrated world-wide financial and management accounting and human resources system is worth £53 million (and was signed in 2002).
	The FTN rollout will be completed in summer 2003. The Prism system is scheduled to go live in the UK in mid-2003. Spend to date on both has been within budget.

Lobsang Dhondup

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions his Department has had with the government of China following the execution of Lobsang Dhondup; and what the outcome was;
	(2)  what representations his Department has made to the government of China following the execution of Lobsang Dhondup.

Bill Rammell: I issued a statement on 28 January 2003 expressing strong concern at the execution of Lobsang Dhondup. We also supported strongly worded EU demarches and an EU declaration on the case.
	We have raised Lobsang Dhondup's case three times with the Chinese MFA. They explained that Lobsang Dhondup was a Chinese citizen who had committed very serious crimes which merited severe punishment. China had the right to put him to trial and to pass verdict on him. The legal proceedings were, according to the MFA, in line with the regulations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
	We shall continue to raise our concerns about this case and the treatment of Tibetans more generally with the Chinese.

Middle East

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions are taking place with the United States Government about problems of the Palestinian people.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary, FCO officials and I are in constant touch with US colleagues on Israel/Palestine. The UK Government believe that a secure and stable two-state solution, as called for in President Bush's speech of 24 June 2002 and reached through early implementation of the Quartet roadmap, is the only credible way to deliver to both Israelis and Palestinians the peaceful future they both need.

North Korea

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of human rights abuses in North Korea.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 February 2003
	Our diplomatic relations with North Korea and a British Embassy in Pyongyang allow us to express our concerns about reports of widespread and serious violations of human rights in DPRK directly to the North Korean authorities on a regular basis. But a lack of hard evidence and access for independent monitors makes it difficult to substantiate allegations, most of which come from defectors' reports. Freedom of expression is curtailed and criticism severely punished (there are reports of up to 200,000 political prisoners). Freedom of movement is restricted within the country and foreign travel is only permitted for a select few. There are reports of widespread use of the death penalty and detention without trial. The DPRK does not participate in international refugee fora, nor is it in contact with the UNHCR. It is at least six years since a UN rapporteur was allowed into the country. The UK has financed human rights training courses for North Korean government officials, and we will continue to request access for international observers, including UK diplomats, to verify negative reports circulating internationally about the situation in DPRK. We are also pressing North Korea to co-operate fully with UN mechanisms and to fulfil its UN reporting obligations.

North Korea

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the South Korean Government on the heightened security situation facing the Korean Peninsula.

Bill Rammell: During the last week I have discussed these issues with a delegation of visiting South Korean MPs. I will also discuss them when I meet the new South Korean President in Seoul on 26 February 2003. We have made clear in all our contacts with the South Korean Government, that we support a peaceful resolution of the security problem on the Korean Peninsula through multilateral dialogue.

North Korea

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made on behalf of the Christian community in North Korea.

Bill Rammell: Reports of human rights abuses, including religious persecution, in North Korea are of grave concern to the Government. Diplomatic relations with North Korea and an Embassy in Pyongyang enable us to express our concerns about reports of widespread and serious violations of human rights in DPRK directly to the North Korean authorities on a regular basis. Our Ambassador expressed concern about the situation during his high-level introductory calls in December 2002. The FCO has financed a human rights training course for North Korean Government officials in the UK, and hopes to build on this through further contacts with the DPRK authorities this year.

Robert Mugabe

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the French Government and to President Chirac regarding Robert Mugabe's possible visit to a Franco-African summit in Paris; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the policy is of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the attendance by Robert Mugabe at a Franco-African summit in Paris to be held on 19 February 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: holding answer 3 February 2003
	We did not want Robert Mugabe at the France/Africa summit in Paris on 20 to 21 February 2003. We made this clear to the French Government, at various levels as well as to other EU partners. The meeting took place two days after the EU sanctions on Zimbabwe were due to expire. Our priority then was to ensure a roll-over of those sanctions. The roll-over required a consensus among EU member states. This was achieved on 18 February 2003.

Romania (People Trafficking)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Romanian authorities regarding the trafficking of women.

Denis MacShane: We talk regularly to the Romanians about the problem of organised crime, including the trafficking of women. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, (Mr. Bob Ainsworth), visited Romania last week to sign a bilateral Readmission Agreement, part of a wider programme of co-operation between the UK and Romania on tackling illegal immigration and people trafficking across Europe. He also discussed this issue with Ministers and officials at the Romanian Ministry of the Interior.

Surjit Kaur Athwal

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations the British Government have made to the Indian Government in the case of Surjit Kaur Athwal;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the delay between the disappearance of Surjit Kaur Athwal and the first representations by the UK Government to the Indian Government on her case.

Mike O'Brien: Our Consular Division in London were informed of Mrs. Athwal's disappearance on 22 December 1998. The next day, our High Commission in New Delhi made inquiries with the Indian police and immigration authorities. The Indian authorities confirmed, on 22 January 1999, that, according to their records, Mrs. Athwal was still in India. Since February 1999, we have liaised regularly with the UK police and the Punjabi police to facilitate the investigation into Mrs. Athwal's disappearance. On 15 March 1999 our Consul in Delhi met the Director for Consular Matters in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to discuss the case. We have raised the case with the Indian authorities on a number of occasions since then, most recently on 13 January 2003, when we sent an official note to the Ministry of External Affairs asking for Mrs. Athwal's case to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation. We remain in regular contact with the Indian authorities and will continue to offer Mrs. Athwal's family all the consular assistance that we properly can.

UK Citizens (Disappearance Overseas)

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases dealt with by his Department of UK citizens who have disappeared abroad since 1997 were (a) white UK citizens and (b) non-white UK citizens.

Mike O'Brien: We do not compile these consular statistics on the basis of ethnicity.

UK Citizens (Disappearance Overseas)

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the standard procedure followed by his Department is in dealing with cases of UK citizens who have (a) disappeared and (b) been murdered abroad.

Mike O'Brien: Enquirers concerned about the whereabouts of British Nationals abroad are advised to contact the police in the country concerned, and also to report the missing person to their local UK Police. Consular staff in the UK and overseas keep relatives informed of progress and liaise with local authorities, including to consider institution of a search. When a British National is murdered overseas we would normally liaise with the UK police who would inform the next of kin and appoint a Family Liaison Officer. In the country concerned, we can act as liaison between local authorities and the deceased's relatives, friends and/or legal representatives. Any investigation would be conducted by the local authorities.

United Nations

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the UK's total net financial contribution to the United Nations in each of the last 15 years; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The UK is fully supportive of the UN and the work it does, and we recognise the need for the organisation to have adequate funding to perform its role. Accordingly, we choose to supplement our annual assessed contributions to the UN regular and peacekeeping budgets and its Specialised Agencies by a significant number of voluntary contributions targeted at a range of UN activities.
	The UK has contributed the following amounts to the United Nations in each calendar year since 1992.
	
		
			 Year £ 
		
		
			 1992 291,770,697 
			 1993 312,116,430 
			 1994 304,969,947 
			 1995 328,855,981 
			 1996 304,577,521 
			 1997 309,260,413 
			 1998 330,058,906 
			 1999 324,407,457 
			 2000 32,500,000 
			 2001 427,458,550 
		
	
	These figures represent both assessed and voluntary contributions, except for 2000, which only represents our assessed contributions to the UN Regular Budget: total figures were not collated for that year.
	These figures are taken from the FCO Annual Report, which collates the data on contributions to the UN from all Government Departments. We do not have collated figures prior to 1992, and to obtain them would incur disproportionate cost.

Work Placements

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many university students his Department and associated agencies has supported or sponsored with a work placement in the last year; what his policy is on work placements; what plans he has to develop such schemes; and what his policy is on paying their university fees.

Mike O'Brien: The Foreign and Commonwealth currently employs three students for 12 months, as part of their four-year economics degree sandwich course. This gives them the opportunity to work for one year in the Economic Policy or European Union Department. We support work placements as part of our policy to encourage more students to apply for economist jobs. We also have two unpaid work experience schemes for school pupils and undergraduates. 21 pupils and 40 undergraduates had unpaid work placements in 2002. We do not pay any university fees.

Zimbabwe

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers the EU ambassadors meeting has to extend sanctions against Zimbabwe on behalf of the EU.

Bill Rammell: Common positions, including the targeted measures against the ZANU-PF regime, have to be agreed by the Council of Ministers, prepared by the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper). When consensus is reached at Coreper, the decision is formally passed to the Council, but not discussed there.
	In the Zimbabwe case, Coreper reached consensus for a 12-month continuation of sanctions on 14 February 2003, and the Council formally agreed this on 18 February 2003, from which date the sanctions rolled over. The UK had argued strongly for such a result, and therefore welcomed it.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

English National Opera

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Arts Council about the future of English National Opera.

Kim Howells: My right hon Friend the Secretary of State and my right hon and Noble Friend the Minister of State for the Arts hold regular meetings with the Arts Council of England where they discuss all issues relating to bodies funded by the Arts Council of which, the English National Opera is one.

IT Contracts

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list IT contracts in her Department and its predecessors above £50 million in each of the last 10 years; what the inception date for each system was; when it became fully functional; when it became fully debugged; and what the cost of over-runs has been.

Kim Howells: My Department has had no IT contracts of £50 million or above in the last 10 years.

Lee Valley Authority

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from local authorities regarding the funding of the Lee Valley Authority; what recent discussions she has had with the authority; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: This Department has received no representations from local authorities regarding the funding of the Lee Valley Authority and has held no recent discussions with the Authority.

National Lottery

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the spending per head of population for National Lottery grants was in (a) the Ribble Valley, (b) Lancashire, (c) the North West of England and (d) Wales, in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Richard Caborn: According to the information supplied to us by the distributing bodies for the National Lottery awards database, the spending per head of population in the 12 months to 31 January 2003 has been £5.92 in the Ribble Valley constituency, £41.39 in Lancashire, £161.15 in the North West of England and £24.56 in Wales.

National Lottery

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of National Lottery grants are spent in (a) the Ribble Valley, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West of England.

Richard Caborn: Lottery funding is awarded on merit and specific proportions are not therefore allocated to particular areas although funding is sometimes targeted at areas of deprivation which have received low levels of Lottery funds. According to the information supplied to us by the distributing bodies for the National Lottery awards database, the Ribble Valley constituency has received a total of £4,603,634 in Lottery funding since the Lottery's inception. Lancashire has received £744,407,272 and the North West of England has received £1,216,246,401 during the same period. The total amount awarded by the Lottery so far is £11,428,664,244.

Wembley Stadium (Timber Sourcing)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the reconstruction of Wembley Stadium will be covered by government requirements to ensure timber procured is from legal and sustainable sources.

Richard Caborn: The National Stadium is a Football Association project whose construction is being delivered by its wholly owned subsidiary company Wembley National Stadium Limited. The Government's policy that its central departments and agencies should actively seek to buy timber from legal and sustainably managed sources does not therefore apply to the reconstruction of the National Stadium.
	Wembley National Stadium Limited has agreed under the terms of Sport England's Lottery Funding Agreement to have regard to obtaining materials from sustainable or renewable sources. Wembley National Stadium Limited have confirmed that Multiplex Constructions (UK) Limited, who are building the stadium, have environmental management policies and plans in place, which include specifications for building materials containing clear guidance on their selection and environmental protection. Sub-contractors and suppliers have an obligation to demonstrate to Multiplex the source of materials during manufacture and installation. Multiplex have further confirmed to Wembley National Stadium Limited that they will continue to monitor the source of timber products used throughout the duration of the project.

Work Placements

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many university students her Department and associated agencies has supported or sponsored with a work placement in the last year; what her policy is on work placements; what plans she has to develop such schemes; and what her policy is on paying their university fees.

Kim Howells: In 2002 the Department employed 3 university students in summer work placements and 5 undergraduates under the Cabinet Office sponsored scheme for students from under-represented groups for the third year. We are currently reviewing policy on work placements but in view of the limited number of work experience opportunities in a relatively small Department, we shall probably concentrate in future on providing places for the Cabinet Office scheme. We have no proposals to pay their university fees. The Royal Parks had no work placements in 2002.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Asbestos

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what means it is proposed that health and safety inspectors will measure the level of asbestos fibres in the air to determine whether the control limit specified in the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 has been exceeded; in what circumstances prosecutions will be brought for the offence of contravening the regulations by exceeding the control limit; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: Trained Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) scientific staff carry out measurements of levels of asbestos fibres in the air on the advice of HSE inspectors when they are seeking to establish the effectiveness of new or modified controls or when they wish to confirm controls stated in the contractor's risk assessments are adequate. Measurements are carried out in compliance with the approved and validated method contained in the "Methods for the Determination of Hazardous Substances" 39/4.
	Circumstances that might lead to consideration of a prosecution would include inadequate or no controls, unsuitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and airborne fibre levels such that RPE did not reduce the exposure to as low as reasonably practicable and in any event to a level below the control limit.
	HSE's approach to enforcement of asbestos legislation follows the Health and Safety Commission's principles of enforcement, namely proportionality in applying the law, consistency of approach, targeting of enforcement action and transparency. Where breaches of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 are encountered, appropriate enforcement action is considered, including prosecution.

Asbestos

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which a health and safety inspector may rely on his own opinion rather than making scientific measurements in order to establish that the permitted levels of asbestos under the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 have been exceeded; and what defences are available to a person where a breach of the regulations is established by the opinion of the inspector rather than by a measurement.

Nick Brown: HSE inspectors are given training and instruction and are provided with guidance and information about the types of situations and incidents, which can give rise to release of asbestos fibres. Many HSE publications provide information on the typical exposure levels likely to be generated by certain activities and which of these will exceed the control limit.
	Exposure limits and levels are never used in isolation. Inspectors check compliance with the range of controls required by the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 to ensure that the hierarchy of control measures has been applied and that exposure has been reduced to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.
	In most cases, inspectors will use this information together with their knowledge, rather than arranging for scientific measurements to be taken, to assist in forming an opinion about a risk of serious personal injury and the appropriateness of serving a Prohibition Notice. In cases of doubt, they will often seek a view from a more experienced senior colleague or a specialist inspector.
	There is a statutory right of appeal to an Employment Tribunal available to the person who, in the opinion of the inspector, has breached the regulations and to whom an enforcement notice has been served.

Asbestos

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how a material is defined as containing asbestos for the purposes of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002; what minimum quantity of each relevant mineral is required to be present; and how this minimum quantity is measured;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the definition of the terms (a) asbestos, (b) asbestos fibre and (c) asbestos dust in the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002; and what the difference between each of the definitions is.

Nick Brown: Regulation 2(1) of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations defines asbestos as crociodolite, amosite, chrysotile, fibrous actinolite, fibrous anthophyllite and fibrous tremolite. There is no specific definition of either asbestos fibres or asbestos dust within these regulations since the fibres or dust will be one of the six types listed above.
	There is no minimum quantity required to be present because the application of the regulations is dependant upon the nature of the asbestos-containing material and how likely it is to release asbestos fibres.

Asbestos

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on how the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 apply to debris containing asbestos that is found on a site; and what quantities of such debris are acceptable for the purposes of the Regulations.

Nick Brown: Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations requires employers to prevent the exposure of employees to asbestos or where this is not practicable to reduce exposure to asbestos to the lowest level reasonably practicable.
	In order to do this they are also required to ensure the quantity of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials at the premises where work is undertaken, and the spread of asbestos from any place where work under their control is carried out, are reduced to the lowest level reasonably practicable (Regulations 10 (7) and 15 respectively). Where it is not possible to prevent exposure employers must ensure respiratory or personal protective equipment and other control measures are used to reduce exposure to the lowest possible level.

Asbestos

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the Health and Safety Executive's review of the science relating to the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002; and who is in charge of the review.

Nick Brown: The Government have agreed to a review to ensure that dutyholders are adequately preparing for the new duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises, included in the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002, by the end of this year. The review will also take account of any new scientific information and, is being undertaken by Health and Safety Executive officials.

Asbestos

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many responses were received to the consultation that took place prior to the making of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002; how many of the responses objected to the making of the regulations in the form in which they were made; what reasons were given for the objections; and if he will place the responses in the Library.

Nick Brown: holding answer 25 February 2003
	235 responses were received about the consultation which involved the principle of the duty to manage asbestos in premises, and 268 responses on the two consultations on detailed proposals to amend the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations. The overwhelming majority were in favour of the amendments. There were 10 responses which objected to the proposals.
	A copy of the responses to the detailed proposals-is available in the Library.

Asbestos

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training in the science of asbestos is given to health and safety inspectors (a) generally and (b) for the purposes of enforcing the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002; by whom such training is given; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: holding answer 25 February 2003
	As part of their training programme, trainee inspectors new to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) attend occupational health tutorials, which include briefing and discussion on the nature and type of asbestos products, the chemical and physical properties of asbestos, exposure levels and the health effects of asbestos. Specialist HSE inspectors normally deliver these tutorials. Asbestos is also covered in the Occupational Health and Safety Diploma course, run by Heriot Watt University, which all trainee inspectors are required to attend.
	Prior to doing any unaccompanied inspections, HSE inspectors, who have been assigned to asbestos work, undergo specific training on the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. This training is more in depth and is organised and delivered by HSE's Asbestos Licensing Unit, in conjunction with other experienced HSE personnel.

Demography

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the latest estimates are of the proportion of the population aged (a) 50 or over, (b) 55 or over, (c) 60 or over and (d) 65 or over actively engaged in the labour market.

Nick Brown: The information is in the table.
	
		Estimated economic activity rates of individuals in private households—Autumn 2002
		
			  Economic activity rate (percentage) 
		
		
			 Aged 50(16) 37.7 
			 Aged 55(16) 27.0 
			 Aged 60(16) 14.0 
			 Aged 65(16) 5.5 
		
	
	(16) or over
	Notes:
	1. Estimates are not seasonally adjusted and are not subject to an adjustment for census 2001 results
	2. Economic Activity is based on International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	3. Figures exclude those living in communal establishments.
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey, Autumn 2002

Disability Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his assessment is of the reasons underlying the growth in spending on disability benefits between 1997–98 and 2003–04 (planned); and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to him on 12 February 2003, Official Report, column 801W in the case of disability living allowance. Similar reasons apply also in the case of attendance allowance, which provides a contribution towards the extra costs faced by people who become severely disabled after the age of 65. Spending on both these benefits has increased steadily year on year because more people than ever are receiving them and because their value has been maintained by increasing the rates at which they are paid each year in line with the movement in prices as measured by the retail prices index.

Employers' Liability Insurance

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of businesses operating in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland without employers' liability cover; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: holding answer 25 November 2002
	In England, Scotland and Wales the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces the legal requirement for companies to maintain Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI) and to display a valid certificate. The HSE undertakes this enforcement activity during general inspections by HSE Inspectors and through the work of its Workplace Contact Officers who focus on small and medium-size enterprises.
	Workplace Contact Officers and Inspectors may ask to see a valid ELCI certificate during a visit. Where the certificate cannot be produced at the visit, HSE will write to the employer, and if no satisfactory response is received within a reasonable time that is 21 days under current instructions, will make a statutory request ('Notice to Produce') for its production. However, there may be circumstances where HSE considers it appropriate to issue a Notice to Produce straightaway where an employer fails to produce a valid certificate. Failure to produce a certificate will result in on-site inquires and prosecution, subject to evidence.
	A total of 4,366 contacts were made by Workplace Contact Officers between April and September 2002. Of these, just 14 (or 0.3 per cent.) merited the serving of a statutory notice to produce. In addition, HSE Inspectors carry a large number of issues during regulatory contacts, but because of the varying nature and range of visits undertaken, it is not possible to give exact figures as to how many of these regulatory contacts covered the issue of ELCI. However, during the same period of April to September 2002, HSE inspectors issued an additional 30 Notices to Produce. So the total number of Notices to Produce issued by HSE in this 6-month period was 44.
	Of those served notices, 31 employers (70 per cent.) have subsequently produced valid ELCI certificates. Inquiries relating to the 13 employers who have failed to produce ELCI certificates are continuing and may result in prosecution, subject to evidence.
	There were four prosecutions in 2002 resulting in penalties being imposed in three cases. Between 1997 and 2001, HSE successfully pursued 25 prosecutions for non-compliance.
	The above figures cover England, Scotland and Ireland. There is not available a breakdown for each area.
	In Northern Ireland a total of 1,924 visits to work places were made by HSE (Northern Ireland) Inspectors between April and September 2002. Inspectors routinely check on ELCI cover during visits although, as with HSE in England, Scotland and Wales, it is not possible to give exact figures as to how many of these visits covered the issue of ELCI. However, during the time period referred to above, no employers were detected by HSE (Northern Ireland) to be operating without ELCI.
	HSE (Northern Ireland) records show one prosecution in recent years relating to ELCI in Northern Ireland. In December 2000, an employer was convicted for non-compliance.
	These figures suggest that levels of compliance remain very high. However, the Government are aware of the recent problems being faced by employers in getting ELCI, and we announced in the Pre-Budget Report our intention to undertake a formal review of the operation of ELCI.

European Year of the Disabled

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what projects have been planned for the European Year of the Disabled, broken down by constituency.

Maria Eagle: The information has been placed in the Library.

IFI/Richardsons Plant

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact of the closure of the IFI/Richardsons plant in Belfast on home workers based outside Northern Ireland.

Nick Brown: As a result of the closure of the IFI/Richardsons plant in Belfast, three sales personnel based outside of Northern Ireland were made redundant. We understand the problems faced by those affected by redundancy, and we have introduced a range of policies to help people who lose their jobs to find another one quickly.

New Deal

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have participated in New Deal 25 plus; and how many people have left the scheme for work.

Nick Brown: The information requested is in the table.
	
		
			  Total number of participants Total number of people moving into jobs Number of leavers moving into unsubsidised, sustained employment(17) 
		
		
			 New Deal 25 plus (from July1998 to September 2002) 534,400 126,300 93,600 
		
	
	(17) To have left the programme, New Deal clients must not re-claim Jobseeker's Allowance within 13 weeks. Sustained employment is defined as employment lasting 13 weeks or more. Therefore, all jobs gained by New Deal leavers are sustained jobs.
	In April 2001, New Deal 25 plus was re-engineered to provide a flexible, more individually-tailored service to help more people get jobs and remain in them.
	Information on the New Deal 25 plus is published quarterly in the Statistical First Release, which is available in the Library.
	Source:
	New Deal Evaluation Database.

New Deal

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the changes in the proportion of New Deal for Young People leavers entering unsubsidised, sustained employment since the scheme began.

Nick Brown: The New Deal for Young People is continuing to help significant numbers of disadvantaged young people into work. Many of these have moved into jobs more quickly and have stayed there longer than they would have done without the New Deal. Up to September 2002, 313,700 New Deal clients had moved into jobs lasting 13 weeks or more.
	Since 1999, the proportion of leavers to known destinations entering unsubsidised, sustained jobs has remained largely constant at around 54 per cent. Research has also shown that people leaving to unknown destinations are just as likely to leave the New Deal for work as those going to known destinations. Further evaluation is planned this year to confirm this position. Jobcentre Plus is working closely with New Deal providers to improve the collection and recording of the destinations of programme participants.
	The change in the proportion of leavers from the New Deal for Young People entering unsubsidised, sustained employment is largely due to an increase in leavers going to unknown destinations (from 25 per cent. in 1998 to just under 33 per cent. so far in 2002).
	As long-term youth unemployment has been virtually eradicated, we are now also getting feedback from those delivering the New Deal that an increasing proportion of people on the programme are facing greater barriers to moving into sustained employment. That is why we have introduced initiatives such as StepUP and progress2work which build on the New Deal and help the most disadvantaged people overcome the barriers they face and move into work.

New Deal

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) young people, (b) single mothers, (c) disabled people, (d) people over 50 and (e) other categories for which information is collected have benefited from the New Deal in Nottingham North since its inception.

Nick Brown: The available information is in the table.
	
		
			 New Deal Total number of programme participants in Nottingham north(18)  
		
		
			 New Deal for Young People (from January 1998) 2,720 
			 New Deal 25 plus (from July 1998) 1,940 
			 New Deal for Lone Parents (from July 1998) (19)940 
			 New Deal 50 plus (Employment Credit claim) (from April 2000) (20)180 
		
	
	(18) Up to the end of September 2002, unless stated
	(19) Of these, 880 participants were female
	(20) Figure up to the end of November 2002
	Source:
	New Deal Evaluation Database
	The information is not available at constituency level for the New Deal for Disabled People and new Deal for Partners.

New Deal

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many New Deal 50-plus participants were first time claimants of (a) the employment credit and (b) the training grant, in each month since the scheme went nationwide.

Nick Brown: The information is in the table.
	
		
			 Month Number of new training grants Number of employment credit starts 
		
		
			 2000   
			 April 10 1,730 
			 May 20 2,430 
			 June 30 3,000 
			 July 50 2,560 
			 August 60 2,490 
			 September 100 3,270 
			 October 110 3,290 
			 November 120 3,400 
			 December 120 2,660 
			 2001   
			 January 130 2,190 
			 February 140 2,720 
			 March 190 3,280 
			 April 150 2,610 
			 May 180 3,290 
			 June 170 3,200 
			 July 160 2,920 
			 August 180 3,160 
			 September 160 3,010 
			 October 230 3,300 
			 November 250 3,670 
			 December 130 1,730 
			 2002   
			 January 160 1,800 
			 February 160 2,340 
			 March 240 2,920 
			 April 130 2,460 
			 May 220 3,330 
			 June 130 2,540 
			 July 130 2,620 
			 August 190 3,060 
			 September 160 2,480 
			 October 280 2,860 
			 November 270 3,490 
			 December 180 1,940 
			 Total 4,910 91,740 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and may not sum due to rounding
	Source:
	New Deal evaluation database

New Deal

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what statistics are routinely collected on the New Deal for Disabled People;
	(2)  how many people in each region have (a) found work and (b) found sustained work, through the New Deal for Disabled People;
	(3)  how many people (a) have found work and (b) have found sustained work through the New Deal for Disabled People, broken down according to the nature of the participants' disabilities.

Nick Brown: New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) is the first national programme designed specifically to help people with health conditions and disabilities move into and keep jobs. Statistics on customer registration with Job Brokers, job entries and sustainability of employment are collected and published on a quarterly basis on the New Deal and NDDP websites.
	A comprehensive evaluation programme is in place which will enable us to assess the effectiveness of NDDP and ensure that we build on the best of what has been achieved so far. Information about the characteristics of participants, their experiences, views and outcomes of participation in NDDP will be gathered through quantitative research. In addition, qualitative research will examine in greater depth what works for whom, how and why. We will be publishing reports on different elements of the evaluation, as they become available.
	The available information is in the table.
	
		Cumulative performance from July 2001 to December 2002
		
			 National Number registering with an NDDP Job Broker(21) Number helped into work by an NDDP Job Broker(21) Numbers achieving sustained employment following NDDP asistance(22) 
		
		
			 Total 35,316 8,676 2,330 
		
	
	(21) Job Brokers are paid on work/outcomes actually achieved. They are paid for customers registering with them and for customers that are helped into work. The figures quoted represent registrations and outcomes for which the Job Brokers have been paid.
	(22) Sustained work is defined as the customer remaining in paid employment for at least 26 out of 39 weeks.

New Deal

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of those on each option of the New Deal for Young People went into a sustained job in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the most recent quarter for which figures are available.

Nick Brown: Between July and September 2002 (the latest quarter for which figures are available), 45 young people left the New Deal Options for unsubsidised, sustained jobs in the East Riding local authority area. This is 49 per cent. of all leavers from the Options in that period.
	Due to the small volumes involved, figures for individual New Deal Options cannot be published because of the risk of identifying individuals.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employers have informed him that they are willing to co-operate with his Department in issuing combined pension forecasts to their employees.

Ian McCartney: The combined pensions forecasting service is open to employers and pension providers. We do not collect information on employers as a distinct group. Currently, 426 private sector pension schemes have expressed an interest in using the combined pension forecasting service. Plans progress to increase take-up, but this is very much dependant on private sector partners' willingness to participate in this voluntary service. We sought views on how to increase coverage, whether on a voluntary or compulsory basis, in our recent Green Paper, "Simplicity, Security and Choice: Working and Saving for Retirement" (Cm5677).

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of minimum income guarantee claimants who would cease to be eligible if the basic state pension was increased by (a) £5 per week for those below 75, (b) £10 per week for those aged 75–79 and (c) £15 per week for those aged 80 and above, with the additions for those aged over 75 and over 80 being paid in full regardless of contribution record.

Ian McCartney: We estimate that around 350,000 benefit units could cease to be eligible for the Pension Credit if the maximum rate payable of the basic State Pension was increased by £5 per week and age additions of £5 per week were payable for those aged 75 and over and £10 per week for those aged 80 and over in 2003–04.
	Notes:
	1. The estimate is based on the Department for Work and Pensions Policy Simulation Model for 2003–04.
	2. Calculations assume the maximum rate payable of the Basic State Pension is increased by £5 per week and all other payments proportionately and that age additions of £5 per week are paid to all those aged 75–79 and £10 per week to those aged 80 and over.
	3. For modelling purposes, Pension Credit is assumed to be in place throughout 2003–04. In fact, Pension Credit will begin in October 2003.
	4. The estimate excludes those individuals living in residential care homes.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the issue of state pension forecasts; in what sequence different groups will be issued with such forecasts and over what timescale; how many such forecasts he expects to issue for each group; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: State pension forecast information is issued to customers either directly, or via their pension scheme provider as part of a combined pension forecast.
	The combined pension forecasting service was launched in October 2001 and to date 426 providers have expressed an interest in using the service. Plans progress to increase take-up but this is very much dependant on private sector partners willingness to participate in this voluntary scheme. We sought views on how to increase coverage, whether on a voluntary or compulsory basis, in our recent Green Paper Simplicity, security and choice: Working and saving for retirement.
	State Pension forecasts have been issued to individuals by DWP on request for a number of years. The Department expects to issue around 0.75 million such forecasts in this financial year.
	The Green Paper also announced that from May 2003, the Department will commence the automatic issue of State Pension forecasts and supporting information to the self-employed with a view to extending this service across the rest of the working-age population over the next five years. We will evaluate the self-employed exercise and alongside other research this will inform the sequencing and volumes of other automatic forecasts.

Work-focused Interviews

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many (a) income support, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) invalid care allowance, (d) bereavement benefit and (e) severe disablement allowance claimants have had (i) a new claim refused as a result of work focused interview non-attendance and (ii) benefit reduced as a result of failure to attend a repeat work-focused interview, under the Social Security (Jobcentre Plus Interviews) Regulations 2001;
	(2)  what percentage of (a) income support, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) invalid care allowance, (d) bereavement benefit and (e) severe disablement (i) new claimants in Jobcentre Plus areas have had a claim refused as a result of work focused interview non-attendance and (ii) existing caseload claimants in Jobcentre Plus areas have had their benefit reduced as a result of failure to attend a repeat-work focused interview, under the Social Security (Jobcentre Plus Interview) Regulations 2001.

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants have had their benefit entitlement reduced because they have failed to attend a compulsory Jobcentre Plus work-focused interview.

Nick Brown: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available, from the 56 Jobcentre Plus Pathfinder offices, is in the table.
	
		The impact work focused interviews on benefit claims 22 October 2001 to 22 October 2002
		
			 Benefit type Number of initial work focused meetings (WFM) booked Number of claims not pursued(23) (percentage of WFM booked) Trigger meetings booked(24) Customers sanctioned (percentage of trigger meetings booked) 
		
		
			 Income Support 11,403 32 (0.3) 672 53 (7.9) 
			 Incapacity Benefit/ Severe Disablement Allowance(25) 16,877 127 (0.8) 48 0 (0) 
			 Invalid Care Allowance 1,900 9 (0.5) 5 0 (0) 
			 Bereavement Benefit 82 0 (0) 2 0 (0) 
		
	
	(23) LMS does not distinguish between those claims not pursued because of failure to attend a work-focused interview and those not pursued for other reasons, eg found other work, sickness, withdrew claim.
	(24) Trigger meetings occur after either a specific period of time (eg three years for Incapacity Benefit customers) or when a specified event occurs (eg starting part time work). With Jobcentre Plus Pathfinders only opening in October 2001 very few Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Invalid Care Allowance or Bereavement Benefit recipients have been called for a trigger meeting so far.
	(25) LMS does not have separate data on Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance claims.
	Source:
	Labour Market System (LMS)

Youth Unemployment

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what measures are being taken to reduce youth unemployment in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) the UK;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the effect the New Deal has had on youth unemployment in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) the UK.

Nick Brown: Since 1997, youth unemployment has fallen by a third in Jarrow and South Tyneside, by nearly 40 per cent. in Tyne and Wear and by 47 per cent. in the UK. Over the same period, long-term (over six months) youth unemployment has been cut by 86 per cent. in Jarrow and by around 80 per cent. in south Tyneside, Tyne and Wear and the UK.
	In 1998 we introduced the New Deal for Young People to tackle the waste of long-term youth unemployment. The programme has played an important part in the massive reductions in long-term unemployment among young people across the country. Almost 400,000 young people have moved into work through the New Deal. Independent research found that the number of young people unemployed for six months or more would be twice as high without the New Deal.
	The New Deal has been successful in the north-east of England. By the end of September 2002, in Tyne and Wear, 13,880 young people had moved from welfare into work through the New Deal, 2,390 in south Tyneside, and 1,070 in Jarrow.
	We are building on the achievements of the New Deal. Early last year, we started tailored pathway pilots, including one in Wearside, to help young people use the New Deal Options more flexibly and move into sustained jobs. In 2002 we launched StepUp in 20 pilot areas, including Sunderland, to provide transitional jobs for people who have not secured sustained jobs through New Deal. We have introduced progress2work to provide additional support to help unemployed drug misusers into work. The initiative is already up and running in Newcastle, and will be starting in Sunderland very shortly, and will be rolled out across the country later this year. We have also developed ambition initiatives to help unemployed people gain the right skills to meet the needs of employers in key sectors. One such initiative for the retail sector is operating in Gateshead. We are introducing progress2work-LinkUP to help those facing the greatest disadvantages in the labour market, including ex-offenders, homeless people and recovering alcohol misusers. One of the pilots will start in south Tyneside later this year. These initiatives are ensuring that all young people, even those who face great disadvantages in the labour market or who live in the most deprived areas, are given the help and support they need to gain independence through moving from welfare to work.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Work Placements

Graham Allen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many university students his Department and associated agencies has supported or sponsored with a work placement in the last year; what his policy is on work placements; what plans he has to develop such schemes; and what his policy is on paying their university fees.

Christopher Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister accommodated five undergraduates in 2002 through summer placement schemes organised by the Cabinet Office (three), Windsor Fellowship (one), and Workable (one).
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is keen to participate in work placements for undergraduates and has an ongoing programme. We have ten placements allocated this summer for undergraduates. The office does not pay the university fees of its summer placements.

Warm Front Scheme

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to discuss the future funding of the Warm Front scheme with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Nick Raynsford: Warm Front is the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans for bilateral meetings to discuss its future funding. The Ministerial Group on Fuel Poverty is expected to meet during the Spring. The date and agenda for that meeting have not yet been agreed.

HEALTH

Agency Nurses (Developing Countries)

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many agencies, which have recruited nurses from developing countries, have signed the code of practice on international nurses; what steps the Department will take to prevent the use of agencies which have not signed the code of practice; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many private recruitment agencies the NHS used to recruit nurses from developing countries in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of agencies involved in international recruitment of health professionals; and how many have not signed the code of practice;
	(4)  what mechanisms are in place to ensure that NHS trusts (a) are aware of the code of practice on international nurses and (b) have received a copy of the Department's list of agencies operating under the terms of the code; and what steps are taken to ensure that trusts use only agencies from the list when recruiting nurses from overseas;
	(5)  what mechanisms are in place to ensure that NHS trusts are aware of agencies which do not comply with the code of practice on international nurses, and whether NHS trusts are prevented under legislation from entering into contracts with agencies which (a) have not signed the code of practice and (b) recruit nurses from developing countries.

John Hutton: holding answers 24 and 25 February 2003
	Active recruitment from developing countries contravenes the code of practice for national health service employers in the international recruitment of healthcare professionals. If a commercial recruitment agency is alleged to be contravening the code of practice, the Department will carry out an immediate investigation to determine whether that agency should be removed from the list of agencies operating under the terms of the code. Data relating to the number of agencies recruiting nurses from overseas is not held centrally but monitoring is carried out on a quarterly basis. To date, we have not discovered any NHS contravention of the code of practice.
	The Department has written to all the commercial recruitment agencies it is aware of and has requested references from NHS and other customers confirming the agency's compliance with the code of practice. Details of all agencies working in line with the code of practice appear on the Department's website and is updated regularly. NHS organisations are strongly recommended to refer to the current list of approved agencies when establishing new contracts but there is no legislation requiring them to do so. The list is publicised through regular contacts with the NHS and workforce development confederations.
	The Department is aware of 115 recruitment agencies and has invited each of them to sign up to the code of practice. To date 68 of them have signed up to list. The Department is continuing to work with the remainder to ascertain their position.

Ambulance Service (Derbyshire)

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many fully operational ambulances were stationed at each of the ambulance stations in Derbyshire in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, I am making arrangements for the Chairman of the East Midlands Ambulance Service National Health Service trust to provide this information direct to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Asylum Seekers

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he and his Ministers have had with (a) representatives of South Stoke PCT and (b) North Staffordshire LMC regarding the treatment of asylum seekers.

David Lammy: None.

Asylum Seekers

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on GPs being paid for registering asylum seekers.

John Hutton: General practitioners (GPs) who provide general medical services receive a capitation payment for each patient registered with them, either permanently or temporarily. An asylum seeker attracts the same payment as any other patient of the same age.

Barnet Chase Farm Trust

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) Barnet PCT and (b) other PCTs have contributed, outside the original yearly budget, to the deficits at Barnet Chase Farm, in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Information on the level of individual service agreements between primary care trusts and National Health Service trusts is not collected centrally.

Barnet Chase Farm Trust

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) current and (b) accumulated deficit is of Barnet Chase Farm Trust; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Barnet and Chase Farm's audited financial position for 2002–03 will be available later this year. The accumulated income and expenditure position of the trust as at 31 March 2002, as reported in its 2001–02 audited annual accounts, was a surplus of £562,000.

Barnet Chase Farm Trust

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions in what timeframe at Barnet Chase Farm Trust to bring the costs of their service into line with other comparable trusts; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Barnet and Chase Farm Trust has made considerable progress in bringing the costs of its services in line with comparable trusts as measured by the National Reference Cost Index. The National Reference Cost Index for Barnet and Chase Farm Trust has reduced from 121 in 1999–2000 to 105 in 2001–02, where 100 represents the national average.

Barnet Chase Farm Trust

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make arrangements to require Barnet Chase Farm Trust to submit reports on performance to the PCTs who commission services from them.

John Hutton: Arrangements are already in place for Barnet and Chase Farm Trust to submit reports on performance to the primary care trusts (PCTs) which commission services from it. Regular monthly performance reports are received by Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals National Health Service Trust's Board and are sent to the PCTs. There are also regular review meetings with PCTs to discuss progress on plans.

Barnet Chase Farm Trust

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent Barnet PCT is permitted to switch the commissioning of services from Barnet Chase Farm Hospital to other hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Primary care trusts (PCTs) have the freedom to commission services from wherever they believe appropriate based on the needs of their local population. Barnet PCT already commissions services for its residents from a number of hospitals other than Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals National Health Service Trust.
	Any significant changes in provider would affect local partners and would occur with the agreement of those partners within the context of the local delivery plan. Changes would be expected to result from public and patient involvement and where significant change is planned, from public consultation.

Barnet Hospital

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of capacity at Barnet hospital; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Services at Barnet hospital are improving, but there is much more which needs to be done. Inpatients and outpatients are waiting for shorter periods and recent improvements in practice in the accident and emergency department will also ensure shorter waits. Public and staff are being involved in the further development of services locally.

Barnet Hospital

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to reduce accident and emergency waiting times at Barnet Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Improving the patients experience of emergency care is a top priority for the National Health Service. In light of this, Reforming Emergency Care was launched in October 2001, supported by a £118 million investment. It sets a long term programme of reform supported by extra investment and new capacity to address one of the public's key concerns about the National Health Service—waiting in accident and emergency (A &E).
	After successful introduction of the see and treat initiative at Chase Farm Hospital A & E, which has had a significant impart on the number of patients being seen within four hours, this is now being introduced at Barnet Hospital.

Barnet Hospital

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to improve the cleaning services at Barnet Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Improving the cleanliness of hospitals is the responsibility of local national health service trusts.
	The "National Standards of Cleaning for the NHS" were launched by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in April 2001. All hospitals are required to ensure that their cleaning services meet these standards. In addition hospitals are inspected annually by patient environment action teams (PEATs) who assess environmental standards across a range of factors including cleanliness. The Commission for Health Improvement also considers hospital cleanliness as part of Clinical Governance reviews.
	The last PEAT assessment of Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust judged the environmental standards, including cleanliness, as acceptable.

Bushmeat

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Food Standards Agency is taking on the risks posed by toxins in illegally imported bushmeat.

Hazel Blears: The Food Standards Agency has advised local authorities that all illegally imported food products, including bush meat, should be removed from sale. This is because these products have evaded official controls designed to verify compliance with food safety standards and could pose a danger to human health. The Agency is also working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise to inform the targeting of enforcement work to detect illegal imports.

Bushmeat

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the potential health risks from toxins in illegally imported bushmeat.

Hazel Blears: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency, which has responsibility for food safety matters, that it has received representations about potential public health risks from illegally imported meat, including bush meat. Illegally imported food has evaded official controls designed to verify compliance with food safety standards and therefore poses a potential danger to human health. Such food is destroyed without undue delay and without the requirement for laboratory examination to identify toxins, micro-organisms or other contamination dangerous to human health.

Bushmeat

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has made to other Government Departments about the level of policing at ports of entry relating to the smuggling of bushmeat.

Hazel Blears: The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which has responsibility for food safety matters, is in frequent contact with other Government Departments, in particular the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, about controls on the illegal import of meat.
	Further to a study by the Cabinet Office last year, co-ordination arrangements between the FSA, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and DEFRA are being strengthened to achieve a step-change improvement in controls on the illegal import of meat. DEFRA is running a six month pilot study into the use of dogs for detecting illegally imported foodstuffs, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise is taking the lead responsibility for detection of smuggled imports of meat, and the FSA is putting in place arrangements with port health and local authorities to improve inspection arrangements for legitimate imports.
	The Organisation of the Government's Controls of Imports of Animals, Fish, Plants and their Products' is published on the Cabinet Office website at http://www.cabinet-office.qov.uk/reports/pdf/Illegal%20 Imports%20paper.pdf

Bushmeat

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the level of toxins in illegally imported bushmeat.

Hazel Blears: The Food Standards Agency, which has responsibility for food safety matters, has advised that information is not available on the level of toxins in illegally imported bush meat. All illegally imported food has evaded official controls designed to verify compliance with food safety standards and could pose a danger to human health. Such food may therefore be destroyed by local authorities without the need for sampling to detect micro-organisms, toxins or other contamination.

Cancer Treatment

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many young people under the age of 25 were (a) diagnosed with cancer and (b) died of cancer last year; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: There were 2,453 new cases of cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) diagnosed in people under the age of 25 in 1999 in England (latest year for which we have data). 527 people under the age of 25 died from cancer in England in 2001.

Charge Income

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he estimates his Department's total income from charges will be in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06.

John Hutton: Total income to the Department from charges in 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 is estimated to be around £944 million, £967 million and £992 million respectively.

Choice Programme Pilot Scheme

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the choice programme pilot scheme announced on 11 February.

Alan Milburn: On the 11 February I announced a major set of initiatives to introduce more choice for patients into the National Health Service. I gave my hon. Friend an outline of the benefits for patients in Greater Manchester on 11 February, Official Report, column 752–753.
	In Greater Manchester patients waiting six months for orthopaedic; ear, nose and throat; or general surgery will be able to choose to have their treatment in an alternative hospital. Around 3,400 patients are expected to be offered this choice.

Delayed Discharges

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place a copy of the most recent Quarter 3 delayed discharge and emergency readmission figures in the Library; what assessment he has made of the information collected; and how many times the way the information is collated has been altered in the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information on Quarter 3, 2002–03, delayed discharge and emergency readmission figures has been placed in the Library. Between September 2001 and December 2002, more than 2,000 fewer people were waiting to be discharged from hospital on any single day. The rate of 28-day emergency readmission for patients of all ages has increased very slightly over last quarter from 5.35 to 5.4 per cent. In the last five years, the basis of the information collection has changed to patients of all ages, rather than only patients over 75 years, and from April 2002, the data have been collected by primary care trust area instead of the former health authorities.

Digital Hearing Aids

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when patients of the Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust will have access to digital hearing aids.

Hazel Blears: Funding has been made available for the years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to ensure that a modernised service, providing digital hearing aids, will be available from all National Health Service hearing aids services in England by April 2005.
	Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust is discussing with their respective primary care trusts whether they wish to modernise in 2003–04 or 2004–05.

Digital Hearing Aids

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects patients will be able to receive digital hearing aids at the Worthing and Southlands NHS Hospitals Trust.

Hazel Blears: Funding has been made available for the years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to ensure that a modernised service, providing digital hearing aids, will be available from all National Health Service hearing aids services in England by April 2005.
	NHS hospital trusts not yet involved in the modernisation project will now need to discuss with their respective primary care trusts whether they wish to modernise in 2003–04 or 2004–05.

DIY Genetic Tests

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of DIY genetic tests.

Hazel Blears: In February 2002, Health and Science Ministers asked the Human Genetics Commission to review the matter of genetic testing services supplied direct to the public.
	The Commission has publicly stated that they will make their formal recommendations to Ministers in the early spring.

Drug Dependency (Treatment)

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the recommendation in the 2002 Drug Strategy for an increase in the availability of heroin prescription to all those who have a clinical need is intended as guidance that heroin is preferable to other maintenance treatments for opiate addiction.

Hazel Blears: The Updated Drug Strategy 2002 recommendation, that heroin should be available on prescription to all those who have a clinical need for it, does emphatically not mean that heroin is preferable to other treatments. Heroin prescribing may be a valuable supplement to other treatment but only in a limited number of cases, usually where oral methadone has not proved successful. It is for individual clinicians to make a decision about this on a patient by patient basis.
	Prescribing oral methadone as a substitute for illicit opiates has proven benefits for both the individual and for society, particularly in terms of reducing injecting behaviour and criminal activity. Methadone can be prescribed for a range of treatments including detoxification, stabilisation and longer-term therapies. Additional guidance for practitioners on the use of heroin as a treatment option is due to be published shortly by the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse.

E-mail Addresses

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what e-mail address members of the public may contact (a) him and (b) each of the Ministers in his Department; and for each e-mail address if he will state (i) the date it became active and (ii) the number of e-mails received in each month since activation.

Hazel Blears: Members of the public can contact Ministers at the Department of Health through the email address on the website at dhmail@ doh.gsi.gov.uk. This site was introduced in October 1999 and the numbers of emails received are as follows.
	
		
			  
		
		
			 1999  
			 October 320 
			 November 371 
			 December 294 
			 Total 985 
			 2000  
			 January 487 
			 February 490 
			 March 592 
			 April 868 
			 May 648 
			 June 679 
			 July 777 
			 August 755 
			 September 647 
			 October 977 
			 November 1,035 
			 December 804 
			 Total 8,759 
			 2001  
			 January 1,391 
			 February 1,289 
			 March 1,618 
			 April 1,517 
			 May 1,651 
			 June 1,460 
			 July 1,653 
			 August 1,716 
			 September 1,563 
			 October 2,204 
			 November 2,210 
			 December 1,616 
			 Total 19,888 
			 2002  
			 January 2,494 
			 February 2,406 
			 March 2,312 
			 April 2,425 
			 May 2,148 
			 June 1,829 
			 July 2,804 
			 August 2,313 
			 September 2,224 
			 October 2,801 
			 November 2,612 
			 December 1,768 
			 Total 28,136 
			 2003  
			 January 3,003

Electronic Yellow Card Scheme

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adverse drug reactions were reported by nurses to the electronic yellow card scheme in January 2003.

Hazel Blears: In January 2003, the Medicines Control Agency and the Committee on Safety of Medicines received two reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) submitted by nurses using the electronic yellow card, out of a total of 24 electronic reports of suspected ADRs from all health professionals during this time.

Foundation Hospitals

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information foundation hospitals will cease to need to provide to their strategic health authority, his Department and other regulatory bodies.

John Hutton: Paragraphs 3.22 and 3.23 of "A Guide to NHS Foundation Trusts" set out our proposals for the provision of financial and statistical information by national health service foundation trusts. Forthcoming legislation will set out the process for defining information requirements for NHS foundation trusts.

Foundation Hospitals

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether foundation trusts can choose not to have modern matrons.

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to ensure that foundation hospitals cannot disestablish modern matron posts.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether foundation hospitals will have the right to remove modern matron posts.

John Hutton: National health service foundation trusts will have freedom to put in place the staffing and management structures that ensure the necessary mix of skills to provide the best standard of care to patients. Modern matron posts have been a very successful innovation and I would expect foundation trusts to take this into account.

Gender Reassignment Surgery

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent information he has collated on waiting lists for gender reassignment surgery;
	(2)  how many tertiary level consultants and sessions were devoted to (a) male to female psychiatric assessment, (b) female to male psychiatric assessment, (c) male to female gender confirmation surgery and (d) female to male gender confirmation surgery, in respect of each specialist centre providing medical treatment of gender dysphoria, including transsexualism, within the national health service, in the most recent week for which figures are available and in the same week in each of the previous three years; how many patients there were to whom treatment was provided in each category listed above during the preceding 12 months; and how many patients were on the waiting list for each category of such treatment;
	(3)  if he will list the locations of providers of gender reassignment surgery that have done NHS commissioned work in each of the last five years; and how many FTE staff, broken down by category, worked at each facility in each year.

John Hutton: Gender reassignment surgery consists of a series of different surgical procedures, for example, female to male gender reassignment may require a mastectomy and a hysterectomy and a series of operations to construct a phallus. The Department collects Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) from national health service trusts on operations specifically for sexual transformation, but those procedures such as mastectomies or hysterectomies are collected separately and it is not possible to identify if these were carried out as part of a gender reassignment operation. Details of the NHS trusts who have undertaken any operations for sexual transformation in the past five years are listed in the table.
	The HES data shows that 89 operations were undertaken for male to female gender reassignment surgery in 2001–02. No operations for female to male gender reassignment were recorded during this period.
	Information on the numbers of psychiatric assessments undertaken for gender dysphoria are currently not collected centrally. The mental health minimum dataset will collect data for the first time on psychiatric assessments from April 2003.
	Information on waiting lists and the number of full time equivalent staff and sessions per week devoted to treating patients with gender dysphoria and those working in gender dysphoria clinics is not collected centrally.
	
		Trusts that undertake gender reassignment operations 1997–98 to 2001–02
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 The Freeman Group of Hospitals NHS Trust (26)— — — — — 
			 The Royal Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust (26)— — — — — 
			 The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital NHS Trust — (26)— (26)— (26)— (26)— 
			 United Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust (26)— — — — — 
			 Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust — (26)— (26)— (26)— (26)— 
			 North Manchester Healthcare NHS — — — (26)— — 
			 Central Manchester and Manchester University NHS Trust — — — — (26)— 
			 Leicester General Hospital NHS (26)— — — — — 
			 University Hospitals of Leicestershire NHS Trust — — — (26)— — 
			 Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Trust — — — — (26)— 
			 The Hammersmith Hospitals NHS — (26)— (26)— (26)— (26)— 
			 University College London Hospital NHS Trust (26)— (26)— (26)— (26)— (26)— 
			 East Somerset NHS Trust — — (26)— — — 
			 The United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust — (26)— (26)— (26)— (26)— 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust — — — — (26)— 
			 Liverpool Womens Hospital NHS — (26)— (26)— — — 
			 Addenbrooke's NHS Trust (26)— (26)— (26)— — (26)— 
			 Brighton Health Care NHS Trust — — (26)— — — 
			 Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust — (26)— (26)— (26)— — 
			 Pilgrim Health NHS Trust (26)— — — — — 
			 City Hospitals Sunderland NHS — (26)— — (26)— (26)— 
			 Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS — — — (26)— — 
			 Mid Sussex NHS Trust (26)— (26)— — — — 
			 Pinderfields and Pontefract Hospital NHS Trust (26)— (26)— — — — 
			 University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust — (26)— — — — 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust — — (26)— — (26)— 
			 East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust — — (26)— — — 
		
	
	(26) Denotes a trust who have at least one recorded case for the given year.
	Note:
	A null value has been given where there has either been no cases for the given year or the trust did not exist.

General Practitioners (Derbyshire)

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to meet patient demand for GPs in Derbyshire.

David Lammy: Provision of access to general practitioner services is a matter for primary care trusts (PCTs). A number of initiatives are being taken by PCTs across Derbyshire to improve access to GPs.
	For example a £1.1 million public finance initiative build project has been approved by Chesterfield PCT to provide a GP practice in Staveley. Greater Derby PCT is using local investment finance trust funding to develop three new primary care resource centres and to enable Greater Derby practices to upgrade and extend their services in line with the NHSPlan.

GP Vacancies

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GP vacancies there are at the latest available date; and how many there were in February (a) 2002 and (b) 2001.

John Hutton: In the 2002 general practitioner recruitment retention and vacancy survey, health authorities (HAs) reported 2,615 GP vacancies outstanding at any time during the period March 2001 to February 2002, compared with 2,464 in the period April 2000 to March 2001. There were four non-responding HAs in 2001–02 and two in 2000–01.

Health Employees

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 12 February to questions refs. 96102 and 93640, what proportion of these employees are (a) administrators or managers and (b) clinical staff.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 12 February to question ref. 93640, if he will break down the posts by grade, indicating whether they are (a) clinical and (b) managerial.

John Hutton: holding answer 25February 2003
	The information available centrally has been placed in the Library. These figures cannot be broken down by grade.

Health Services (Nottingham)

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what improvements have been made to local health services available to people in Nottingham North since June 1997.

David Lammy: In March 1997 there were 3,653 patients at acute trusts in Nottingham waiting over 26 weeks for outpatients appointments. In December 2002 there were none. Similarly, there were 1,718 patients waiting over 12 months for inpatient appointments. In December 2002, there were only 28.
	At Queen's Medical Centre, £5.5 million of capital expenditure has been invested in modernising accident and emergency services. Meanwhile, the primary care trusts covering Nottingham will each receive increases in funding of over 28 per cent. over the next three years, to help further increase life expectancy at birth and reduce premature deaths from cancer. This is just a small sample of investment in local modernisation.

Health Staff

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) general practitioners, (b) nurses and (c) consultants are employed in (i) Derbyshire and (ii) England and Wales.

John Hutton: The available data is shown in the table. Information relating to Wales is a matter for the devolved administration.
	
		General medical Practitioners and Practice Nurses, Consultants and NHS HCHS QualifiedNurses in England and Derbyshire Health Authorities as at 30 September 2001
		
			  Numbers (headcount) of which: 
			  England North Derbyshire HA South Derbyshire HA 
		
		
			  
			  
			 All General Medical Practitioners (27) 31,835 234 347 
			 of which:
			 Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs) (28) 27,843 192 315 
			 Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting staff (29) 330,535 1,859 3,035 
			 Practice Nurses 19,846 128 223 
			 Consultants 25,690 110 188 
			 Notes:
		
	
	Notes:
	(27) All practitioners includes: GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs, PMS salaried GPs, restricted principals, assistants, GP Registrars, GP retainers, salaried doctors (Para 52 SFA) and PMS others
	(28) Unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs) includes GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs and PMS salaried GPs.
	(29) Excludes learners
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census
	Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Healthy Start Scheme

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the healthy start scheme will reduce the value of benefit to mothers who bottle feed their babies.

Hazel Blears: Decisions on the future of the Welfare Food Scheme will not be taken until the results of the public consultation on the proposed reforms have been assessed.
	A report on the outcome of the "Healthy Start" consultation will be published in March 2003. The Department of Health's response to the consultation will follow in the spring.

Hospital Accommodation

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance on the provision of hospital accommodation his Department has issued since December 2000.

John Hutton: The Department of Health has issued no further guidance on hospital accommodation for doctors in training since the issue of Health Service Circular 2000/036 in December 2000.

Hospital Accommodation

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what types of hospital accommodation are covered by the guidelines issued by his Department in December 2000.

John Hutton: The December 2000 guidelines cover accommodation provided to doctors, either because of statutory or contractual requirements or where doctors are voluntarily resident and are required to provide an on-call service from their accommodation. Other accommodation is covered by the Houses in Multiple Occupancy Regulations and other local authority standards to ensure basic habitability.

Hospital Accommodation

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Government spent on improving (a) residential and (b) on-call hospital accommodation in England and Wales in 2002.

John Hutton: Improvement of residential accommodation in hospitals is the responsibility of the individual trust concerned and no details are held centrally on expenditure. However, in addition to that spent by trusts, the Department provides a further £2 million annually to support capital improvements to junior doctors' living and working conditions, much of which is used to improve accommodation.
	We are unable to provide information for Wales, as healthcare there is the responsibility of the National Assembly for Wales.

Hospital Hygiene

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) of 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 392W, on hospital hygiene, how many cases of gastro-enteritis were reported by NHS hospital trusts in each year since 1999.

David Lammy: There are no definitive data sources for cases of gastro-enteritis in hospitals but the information available is shown in the table.
	The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) has voluntary reporting systems for a range of pathogenic organisms but as these systems do not distinguish between cases acquired in hospital and those acquired elsewhere the requested data are not available.
	In addition the PHLS also has a voluntary reporting system for outbreaks (these involve two or more related cases) of infectious intestinal disease and a report "General outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease (IID) in hospitals, England and Wales, 1992–2000" was published in the Journal of Hospital Infection (2003) 53:1–5.
	Hospital Episode Statistics has the following information which includes cases where the patient was admitted with gastro-enteritis.
	
		Finished consultant episodes (FCE) of diarrhoea and gastro-enteritis in NHS hospitals, England
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			  
			 1999–2000 13,498 
			 2000–01 11,812 
			 2001–02 11,257

Hospital Hygiene

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) of 28 January 2003, Official Report, column 810W, on hospital hygiene, what the recommendations on the number of wash-hand basins for specific situations are; and if he will make a statement on infection controls teams.

Hazel Blears: Infection control teams play a vital role in promoting good infection control. They will be actively involved in auditing key policies such as hand washing and will help develop trust policy on building services such as hand basins.
	Frequency of hand decontamination is governed by many factors, of which sufficient wash hand basins is only one. For new buildings, NHS Estates has made recommendations on hand basins.
	The exact number of hand-wash basins in a particular situation depends on the design and configuration of the room.

HPA

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the post of chief executive for the Health Protection Agency will be readvertised.

Hazel Blears: The original timetable for appointing the Health Protection Agency (HPA) shadow Chief Executive Officer (CEO) had been for the end of October 2002, to enable the incoming shadow Chair of the HPA to participate in the appointment procedure. Following advertisements in the national press and professional journals, it was felt that the field of responses could be strengthened and that, given the importance of the role of the new HPA, the assistance of executive search consultants should be sought to advise on and co-ordinate the appointment. This was undertaken during November and December 2002, enabling competitive interviews to be held in early January. The result of that process has been the announcement of the CEO appointment (Dr. Pat Troop) on 27 January 2003 and there is therefore no need for this post to be re-advertised.

Ill Health (Contributory Factors)

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates have been made of the costs to the NHS of (a) the potential lifetime ill health of a low birthweight baby, (b) obesity and (c) indoor winter temperatures below 15 degrees centigrade.

Hazel Blears: The National Audit Office report, 'Tackling Obesity in England', puts the cost of obesity to the National Health Service at £0.5 billion a year. Information is not collected on the other costs.
	Source:
	Tackling Obesity in England
	Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General
	HC220 Session 2000–2001: 15 February 2001

In-Patient Waiting Lists

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting in England for in-patient treatment at the latest date for which figures are available.

John Hutton: The number of patients waiting for elective inpatient admission at National Health Service trusts and primary care trusts in England at 31 December 2002 was 1,056,600.

Influenza

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners in England received immunisation against influenza in (a) the last 12 months for which figures are available, (b) the previous 12 months to that and (c) 1996.

Hazel Blears: From data collected by the Public Health Laboratory Service on behalf of the Department, we know that as at 31 December 2002, 5,487,645 people aged 65 years and over were immunised against influenza. This compares to 5,135,760 people in 2001–02.
	Prior to 2000, the policy on flu immunisation was to offer vaccine to people aged 75 years and over, and not to people aged 65–74. At this time, there was no systematic collection of uptake data for this age-target group of people.

International Fellowship Scheme

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of the NHS International Fellowship Scheme.

John Hutton: holding answer 29 January 2003
	Expenditure on the national health service international fellowship scheme up to the present is £1,171,847.30.
	The Fellowship Scheme is designed to attract experienced, senior consultants from abroad in specialties in high demand worldwide to practise in the NHS for two year fellowships. The number of offers accepted so far is 40 and the overall target is 450 fellows over the lifetime of the scheme.

International Nurses (Code of Practice)

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether agencies which have not signed the code of practice on international nurses have been contracted by the Department.

John Hutton: holding answer Tuesday 25 February
	The Department has not contracted with any agency involved in the international recruitment of nurses and therefore subject to the code of practice for National Health Service employers.

Irwell Mill, Bacup

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost is of the proposed development by the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale primary care trust on the site of Irwell Mill, Rochdale Road, Bacup; who will be responsible for the demolition and at what cost; and what payments in connection with the purchase of this site will be made to Stylegleam Ltd.

Jacqui Smith: pursuant to her reply, 28 January 2003, Official Report, c. 811W
	I regret my previous response was incorrect. The firs sentence of the second paragraph should read as follows.
	"Most of the mill will be demolished, with the Rossendale Borough Council acting as the agents."

IVF

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the percentage of children born through IVF born with a recognised disability; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what research is being conducted into the possible links between intracytoplasmic sperm injection and Angelman syndrome; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: A number of international studies have raised questions about some in vitro fertilisation (IVF) techniques such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The studies show a small increase in the number of babies with health problems. The Medical Research Council and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority have established a working group that is reviewing current research and will provide advice on any further research needed in assisted conception. Information is not routinely collected on children conceived using an assisted conception technique that are born with a disability or other medical condition.

Kava-kava

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what criteria the Medicines Control Agency set for the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Medicines Commission in their investigation into kava-kava;
	(2)  in what form the conclusions of the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Medicines Commission into the safety of kava-kava were presented.

Hazel Blears: The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) consulted the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) on the safety of kava-kava, as this falls within its statutory terms of reference which are: "to give advice with respect to safety, quality and efficacy in relation to human use of any substance or article (not being an instrument, apparatus or appliance) to which any provision of the Medicines Act 1968 is applicable; to promote the collection and investigation of information relating to adverse reactions for the purpose of enabling such advice to be given."
	The CSM convened an expert working group with the following remit.
	To consider the currently available evidence on the issue of hepatotoxicity suspected to be associated with the use of the herbal remedy kava-kava (piper methysticum).
	To assess the risks to public health and whether these can be quantified or prevented and to advise on the risk/benefit balance.
	To consider the possible regulatory actions and provide advice on a recommended course of action including how the information should be distributed to healthcare professionals and consumers.
	The CSM received the working group's recommendations, considered the available evidence and arguments and gave preliminary advice that the most appropriate regulatory option was the revocation of the marketing authorisations for the three licensed products containing kava-kava and prohibition of the supply of the unlicensed products under section 62 of the Medicines Act. Other options considered were label warnings about hepatic adverse reactions; restrictions of strength, dosage or type of formulation; restricting the status of kava-kava to a prescription only medicine or no regulatory action.
	Following preliminary advice from CSM the MCA undertook a public consultation on the prohibition of kava-kava. The MCA sought advice on the responses to the consultation both from the CSM and the Medicines Commission, whose terms of reference are broadly to advise Health Ministers on matters relating to the execution of the Medicines Act 1968. Both bodies were asked to advise on the regulatory options in light of the latest scientific evidence and the responses to public consultation. Both advised that kava-kava should be prohibited in unlicensed medicines and that the marketing authorisations for the licensed products should be revoked.
	The advice of the CSM and Medicines Commission on the safety of kava-kava is contained within the minutes of the meetings, which are available in the Library, together with copies of the assessment reports.
	In the light of this advice and having considered all the evidence the Minister considered that the sale, supply and importation of kava-kava should be prohibited.

Kava-kava

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what case reports of liver damage suspected to be associated with the consumption of Kava-Kava he has received from countries other than Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Canada, France, USA and the UK; and whether evidence of such cases was sought;
	(2)  if he will list member states of the EEA in which products containing Kava-Kava are not prohibited;
	(3)  when the 70 case reports of liver damage suspected to be associated with the consumption of Kava-Kava received by the MCA occurred; and of the 70 cases, how many included a biopsy taken from the patient's liver.

Hazel Blears: The regulatory position of kava-kava in Europe has continually changed over the last 12 months as member states completed their regulatory action. The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has requested this information from all European Economic Area member states. A report has been placed in the Library. It is known that when the various national expert committees considered this issue, kava-kava has been prohibited, suspended or had never been marketed in the following member states: Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
	The MCA has received no case reports of hepatotoxicity associated with kava-kava from countries other than the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, France, Australia, Canada and the USA. The MCA has requested this information from all EEA member states as well as Australia, Canada and the USA.
	The following table provides a breakdown of the number of cases of suspected liver damage associated with kava-kava submitted to regulatory authorities with information relating to the onset date of the hepatic reactions. Information relating to the date of onset of the hepatic adverse reactions suspected to be associated with the use of kava-kava has not been provided in 20 of the 70 cases. Three of the case reports state that a liver biopsy was completed.
	
		
			 Year reaction occurred Number of cases of hepatotoxicity 
		
		
			 1990 1 
			 1991 0 
			 1992 1 
			 1993 1 
			 1994 2 
			 1995 1 
			 1996 0 
			 1997 1 
			 1998 4 
			 1999 4 
			 2000 8 
			 2001 23 
			 2002 4 
		
	
	A report of a suspected adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the medicine and the number of reports received cannot be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring nor the number of patients using the herbal medicine is known.

Legal Actions

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many legal actions have been taken against (a) general dental practitioners, (b) specialist dental practitioners and (c) health authorities in England and Wales by patients who have received retrograde amalgam fillings and whose general health was adversely affected as a result; how many of these actions were successful; and what was the total amount of damages awarded by the courts in respect of such actions;
	(2)  what (a) testing and (b) assessment was made of the (i) efficacy and (ii) safety in relation to the recipient's health of retrograde amalgam fillings for teeth before their use in England and Wales;
	(3)  when the use of retrograde amalgam fillings was discontinued in England and Wales; and for what reasons.

David Lammy: Amalgam has been used for over 150 years to fill billions of teeth and is still in general use in England and Wales for dental restorations, including retrograde restorations. Apart from rare instances of hypersensitivity, no adverse reactions have been proven. Alternative dental restorative materials are not so easily, quickly and reliably placed. Neither are they so durable. The 1998 European Union expert report concluded that currently available data indicate that mercury from dental amalgam restorations will not cause an unacceptable health risk to the general population. Information is not held centrally on legal actions involving dental treatment, but the Department is not aware of any recent cases about the use of amalgam.

Medical Doctors

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what figures he has collated on the percentage of those who qualify as a medical doctor who choose to work part-time (a) immediately after qualification, (b) after five years in the profession and (c) after 10 years in the profession, broken down by gender.

John Hutton: The most recent data from the Medical Careers Research Group shows that as a percentage of the 1999 qualifiers surveyed in summer 2000, part-time working as a pre-registration house officer (PRHO) was undertaken by 1.8 per cent. of women and 0 per cent. of men.
	Data from 1996 qualifiers in 2001–02, shows that a total of 4.7 per cent. of male and 17.1 per cent. of female respondents were working in the national health service five years after qualification.
	Data from 1998 qualifiers in 1998–99 shows that a total of 4.5 per cent. of male respondents and 45.8 per cent. of the female respondents were working part-time in the NHS 10 years after qualification.
	The detailed information is shown in the tables.
	The latest data from the Medical Careers Research Group of Oxford University, on part-time working and working in the NHS, by gender, immediately after qualification and five and 10 years after qualification, are as follows.
	
		Table 1: Immediately after qualificationNumbers and percentages of 1999 and 2000 qualifiers who began their PRHO year in 1999–2000 and 2000–01 respectively and numbers doing so who worked part-time
		
			  Men Women 
		
		
			 1999 qualifiers   
			 Not starting PRHO year 0 2 
			 Working part-time as PRHO 6 (0.6%) 19 (1.3%) 
			 Working full-time as PRHO 966 1,389 
			 PRHO—work pattern not given 5 9 
			 Total PRHOs 977 1,417 
			
			 2000 qualifiers (25% sample)   
			 Not starting PRHO year 1 0 
			 Working part-time as PRHO 0 7 (1.8%) 
			 Working full-time as PRHO 291 381 
			 PRHO—work pattern not given 1 0 
			 Total PRHOs 292 388 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Five years after qualification(30)The most recent available data are for the 1996 qualifiers in 2001–02
		
			  Men Women 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 NHS (full-time) 901 85.2 893 71.3 
			 NHS (part-time) 50 4.7 214 17.1 
			 UK medicine (non-NHS) 32 3.0 23 1.8 
			 Medicine abroad 50 4.7 70 5.6 
			 Non-medical 25 2.4 53 4.2 
			 Total 1,058 100.0 1,253 100.0 
		
	
	(30) The most recent available data are for the 1996 qualifiers in 2001–02
	
		Table 3: 10 years after qualification(31)Numbers and percentages of 1988 qualifiers working in the NHS and elsewhere 10 years after qualification, in 1998–99
		
			  Men Women 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 NHS (full-time) 1,120 81.9 508 41.0 
			 NHS (part-time) 61 4.5 568 45.8 
			 UK medicine (non-NHS) 48 3.5 24 1.9 
			 Medicine abroad 126 9.2 74 6.0 
			 Non-medical 12 0.9 66 5.3 
			 Total 1,367 100.0 1,240 100.0 
		
	
	(31) The most recent available data are for the 1988 qualifiers in 1998–99.

Medical Students (Tuition Fees)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely effect on numbers of medical students of the proposed increase in tuition fees; and what steps he is taking to increase the number of medical students.

John Hutton: holding answer 24 February 2003
	Whilst the proposals contained in the Department for Education and Skills' White Paper include allowing universities to increase tuition fees, there is as yet no clear indication from the higher education sector of the scope or scale of any increased charges. The Department of Health will ensure that any increase in the cost of university courses will not have any adverse impact on the supply of students for health training programmes, including medicine.
	We are already making a significant investment in extra places at existing medical schools and in establishing new medical schools. By autumn 2003, United Kingdom medical school intakes are planned to total over 7,050, the highest figure ever. The number of UK applicants to study medicine is at the highest level since 1986, which is the earliest year we have figures for.

Mental Health (Separate Facilities)

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which NHS trusts have not carried out renovations to provide separate sleeping, toilet and washing facilities for male and female mentally ill patients; when work is expected to start at those trusts to provide such arrangements; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  which NHS trusts are undergoing works to provide separate washing facilities for men and women who are mentally ill; when work is expected to be completed at those trusts; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The requirement to provide single-sex accommodation was set in 1997 and applies to all trusts providing in-patient services irrespective of the nature of the services they provide. Information on accommodation used for the mentally ill is not kept separately.
	The Department is not aware of any trust which has yet to take action to deliver the standards which we have set.

Mentally Ill Patients

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mental health trusts had reached departmental targets for December 2002 to (a) ensure that appropriate organisational arrangements are in place to secure good standards of privacy and dignity for hospital patients, (b) activate the Patient's Charter Standard for segregated washing and toilet facilities across the NHS and (c) provide safe facilities for patients in hospitals who are mentally ill which safeguard their privacy and dignity.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made on 14 January 2003, Official Report, column 24WS.
	The information cannot be provided in the format requested. Information on mental health trusts is not kept separately as mental health services and accommodation are also provided within acute and multi-service trusts.

National Insurance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the additional employers NI costs for each NHS trust will be in the next financial year.

John Hutton: Data on national insurance costs for each national health service trust are not held centrally.

NHS Direct

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his policy that NHS Direct retain its responsibility for out-of-hours calls.

David Lammy: We are working towards implementing the NHS Plan target that by the end of 2004, a single phone-call to NHS Direct will be a one-stop gateway to out-of-hours healthcare, passing on calls, where necessary to the appropriate service provider.

NHS Direct

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is his policy that NHS Direct nurses will be the first point of contact for all out-of-hours calls by the end of 2004.

David Lammy: We are working towards implementing the NHS Plan target that by the end of 2004, a single phone-call to NHS Direct will be a one-stop gateway to out-of-hours healthcare, passing on calls, where necessary to the appropriate service provider. This first point of contact could be a qualified call handler or NHS Direct nurse.

NHS Finance

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what financial assistance primary care trusts receive to meet (a) Government requirements and (b) PSA targets;
	(2)  how much financial support his Department gives Strategic Health authorities to meet PSA targets.

John Hutton: Revenue allocations are made directly to primary care trusts (PCTs). The revenue allocations for 2003–04 to 2005–06 were announced on 11 December 2002. PCTs received growth of £12.7 billion or 30.8 per cent. in these allocations over the three years.
	None of the revenue growth money has been identified for specific purposes. PCTs will be able to use these extra resources to deliver on both national and local priorities.
	Capital allocations for 2003–04 to 2005–06 were announced on 8 January 2003. These include operational capital allocated to primary care trusts and National Health Service trusts and strategic capital allocated to strategic health authorities. Operational capital increased by £254 million or 33 per cent. and strategic capital by £263 million or 43 per cent. over the three years. £100 million of capital allocations has been earmarked as the access fund to reward organisations making progress towards improving access.

NHS Magazine

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) gross and (b) net cost is of (i) production and (ii) distribution of NHS magazine; and what its circulation is.

David Lammy: NHS magazine has two editions; NHS magazine, distributed to 27,000 senior staff in acute and secondary health care teams and primary care magazine, distributed to 30,000 staff in primary health care teams.
	Production and distribution costs can be different for different issues, depending on content, advertising revenue and whether any specific staff groups are being sent material of specific interest.
	Costs for each issue are reduced by income from advertising. Publications are not subject to value added tax.
	The normal average costs of production and distribution are shown in the table.
	
		£
		
			  NHS magazine Primary care magazine 
		
		
			 Production 50,386 32,876 
			 Distribution 12,500 13,500 
			 Total (gross) 62,386 46,376 
			 Income from advertising 7,900 7,900 
			 Total (net) 54,486 38,476

NHS Managers (Payment)

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on Agenda for Change in relation to the payment of NHS managers.

John Hutton: The Department is developing a new framework governing pay and contractual arrangements for national health service chief executives, board-level directors and other senior posts of comparable job weight immediately below board level. The "Agenda for Change" pay reforms that were successfully negotiated last year will apply to other NHS managers. Both the new framework for board-level posts and the "Agenda for Change" reforms will be based on a new system of job evaluation to ensure fair and transparent links between the basic pay that staff receive and the levels of responsibility, knowledge, skills and effort required in their jobs.

NHS Pensions Agency

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) of 23 January 2003, Official Report, column 478W, on the NHS Pensions Agency, how many applications for permanent injury benefit for a disorder have been submitted in each year since 1997.

John Hutton: The number of permanent injury benefit applications in respect of a disorder or injury for the financial years April 1997 to March 2002 is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Applications Number of applications 
		
		
			 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998 1,161 
			 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999 989 
			 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 846 
			 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 723 
			 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 575 
			 Total 4,294

NHS Project Finance

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding he plans to give to PCTs for extra capital for new hospital projects.

John Hutton: National health service capital allocations to primary care trusts for the period 2003–04 to 2005–06 were announced on 8 January. These capital allocations will provide funding for new hospital projects along with other capital investments within the NHS.
	This investment will be supplemented by capital allocated to strategic health authorities for larger developments, and by investment from the Private Finance Initiative. Nationally, strategic capital increased by 13 per cent., 11 per cent., 14 per cent. in the years 2003–04 to 2005–06. Figures are not available for individual StHAs, but those in the south west received average increases of 15 per cent., 22 per cent., 22 per cent. over this period.

NHS Treatment (Europe)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health [pursuant to his answer of 10 February, ref 92556], what types of operation were carried out on the 190 patients in (a) France and (b) Germany; and whether the £1.1 million includes travelling costs of patients and accompanying relatives.

John Hutton: holding answer 24 February 2003
	Of the 190 patients that were referred for treatment abroad as part of the overseas pilot, 109 were treated in France, and 81 were treated in Germany. Of the patients that were treated in France, 37 were ophthalmology patients, and 72 were orthopaedic patients. All of the patients treated in Germany were orthopaedic patients.
	The figure of £1.1 million quoted in the answer of 10 February, includes the costs of both treatment and travel for patients. The lead commissioners do not have a general power to fund travel and accommodation costs for companions. Companions can only be funded if it can be demonstrated that it is medically necessary that the patient be accompanied.

NHS Waste Report

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the report on waste in the NHS produced by the head of the Downing Street Delivery Unit.

Hazel Blears: There is no report on waste in the National Health service.
	The delivery unit report is produced by the head of the Downing Street delivery unit twice a year and is an internal discussion and advice document which is exempt from publication under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Exemption 2).

NICE

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of a technology appraisal has been by NICE since its establishment.

Hazel Blears: The average time taken to complete an appraisal is 13.76 months.

Nursing Vacancies (Derbyshire)

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing vacancies there were in each Derbyshire NHS trust in (a) 1997 and (b) 2002; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: There is no data available on nursing vacancies prior to 1999. Since March that year the National Health Service has regularly conducted a vacancy survey. This survey collects information on the number of posts that the trusts are actively trying to fill which have been vacant for three months or more.
	The tables show data collected from surveys that were carried out in March 1999 and March 2002.
	
		Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 1999Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff (excluding HA staff)
		
			  3 month vacancy rate (percentage) 3 month vacancy number  
		
		
			 March 1999 
			 England (excluding HA staff) 2.8 7,147 
			
			 North Derbyshire HA 1.8 25 
			
			 Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital NHS Trust 3.5 25 
			 Community Health Care Services (North Derbyshire) NHS Trust 0.0 0 
			
			 South Derbyshire HA 0.0 0 
			
			 Community Health Services (South Derbyshire) NHS Trust 0.0 0 
			 Derbyshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust  0 
			 Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 0.0 0 
			 Southern Derbyshire Mental Health NHS Trust 0.0 0 
		
	
	
		Department of Health Vacancies Survey/ March 2002Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff (excluding HA staff)
		
			  3 month vacancy rate (percentage) 3 month vacancy number 
		
		
			 March 2002 
			 England (excluding HA staff) 3.1 8,394 
			  
			 North Derbyshire HA 0.8 13 
			  
			 Chesterfield & N Derbyshire Royal Hospital NHS Trust 1.2 10 
			 Chesterfield PCT 0.0 0 
			 Community Health Care Services (North Derbyshire) NHS Trust 0.8 3 
			 North Eastern Derbyshire PCT 0.0 0 
			  
			 South Derbyshire HA 2.1 54 
			 Amber Valley PCT 5.1 6 
			 Central Derby PCT 0.0 0 
			 Erewash PCT 8.4 10 
			 Greater Derby PCT 4.5 5 
			 Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 0.0 0 
			 Southern Derbyshire Community and Mental Health NHS Trust 4.6 33 
		
	
	Note:Three month vacancies are vacancies which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole time equivalents), expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post
	Sources:
	Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 1999
	Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2002

Obesity

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning obesity and the introduction of national care standards; and what assessment he has made of the impact of care standards regarding obesity on (a) private clinics and (b) nursing homes.

Hazel Blears: We have not received any representations concerning obesity and the introduction of national standards. We have not made any assessment specifically related to the impact of the standards regarding obesity in care (nursing) homes or private clinics.
	However, national standards are designed to ensure care provision is fit for the purpose and meet the assessed needs of the home's residents. Among other things there are standards to ensure that care homes promote and maintain their residents health, that residents are given appropriate exercise and physical activity, and that residents receive a wholesome appealing balanced diet.

Out-Patient Waiting Lists

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for an out-patient appointment was in England in 2002.

John Hutton: The estimated average waiting time for a first consultant outpatient appointment in England in 2002 was 7.25 weeks.

Overseas Nurses

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the 25 countries were from which the highest number of overseas nurses were recruited in each of the last five years; and how many nurses were recruited from each country in each year.

John Hutton: holding answer 24 February 2003
	This information is not held centrally. The Nursing and Midwifery Council registers all nurses who work in the United Kingdom and holds statistics for the number of overseas nurses who are accepted onto their register.

Pathology Services

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many serious clinical incidents have taken place since Hammersmith Hospital took over the contract to provide pathology services to West Middlesex Hospital and Hounslow Primary Care Trust.

John Hutton: There have been 167 serious untoward incidents reported to North West London Strategic Health Authority.
	In order to ensure patient safety, the change in service provision in north-west London has been closely monitored. Clinicians have been required to use the serious untoward incident reporting system to highlight any incidents of the system not functioning smoothly. This is part of a culture of reporting potential risks, even where there has been no actual harm to patients. The aim is to identify and manage potential risks and therefore encourage their reporting.

Patient Choice

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in London waiting more than six months for elective surgery had a choice of alternative hospital in (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000, (d) 2001, (e) 2002 and (f) 2003.

John Hutton: The London patient choice project (LPCP) started offering choice on 23 September 2002 to patients with cataracts with the first operation on 1 October 2002. Between 1 October 2002 and 10 February 2003, 2,628 patients were offered choice. Of these, 1,859 accepted.
	The LPCP was extended to include a range of surgical procedures in the specialties of general surgery; orthopaedics and ear, nose and throat in the week commencing 10 February 2003. It will be further extended to cover other specialties and procedures this summer.

Patient Choice

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in London waiting more than six months for cataract surgery had a choice of alternative hospital in (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000, (d) 2001, (e) 2002 and (f) 2003.

John Hutton: The London patient choice project (LPCP) started offering choice on 23 September 2002 to patients with cataracts with the first operation on 1 October 2002.

Patient Choice

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients from Hendon he expects to be offered a change of hospital under patient choice in (a) this and (b) the next financial year; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Patients in Hendon are eligible for the London patient choice project. Barnet and Chase Farm National Health Service Trust has 1,024 patients who have been offered choice in the financial year 2002–03 and expects that, for the financial year 2003–04, a further 1,100 will be made a choice offer.

Patient Choice

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what treatments are available to patients in Hendon under "Patient's Choice", at hospitals other than those to which they were originally referred; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Patients in Hendon are eligible for the London patient choice project. This project started to offer choice for cataract patients who have already waited more than six months for treatment, in October 2002 and from March 2003 will be offering a similar choice in ear, nose and throat, general surgery and orthopaedics. The scheme rolls out to other surgical specialties such as gynaecology, urology and plastic surgery from summer 2003.

Patient Choice

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many choices of alternative hospital patients in London waiting for six months for cataract surgery have had since 1997, and what has been the average wait between referral and treatment in the alternative hospital.

John Hutton: Patients are usually offered two alternative hospitals for cataract surgery.
	The average wait between referral and treatment would be between two and four weeks, not including the time it may take to contact the patient and for them to make a decision. The contact process usually commences before the patient reaches six months on the list.
	Where a patient is found to have a second cataract, they are expected to be treated within one and three months, should they so choose.

Patient Choice

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many choices of alternative hospital the 100,000 extra patients identified by him in his speech of 11 February will have; and who will determine their eligibility.

John Hutton: The precise range of choice offered to patients is being designed on a project by project basis. Some projects are offering choice for those patients already on a waiting list for six months, and in others choice is being offered at the point of booking into an out-patient clinic.
	For the six month waiting patients, a choice of one alternative treatment centre will be offered. For choice at the point of booking, two alternative treatment centres will be offered.
	All projects will produce patient care pathways for each procedure, utilising nationally available guidance and advice. The pathways that cover eligibility criteria will then developed with clinicians. The trust on whose waiting list the patient is held before the start of the choice process.

Patient Choice

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who will determine whether a patient in London waiting more than six months for elective surgery is eligible to choose an alternative hospital.

John Hutton: The London patient choice project takes as a starting point that the whole process of choice must be safe and quality assured from the patient perspective. The project has therefore produced patient care pathways for each procedure. These utilise nationally available guidance and advice, such as that published by the Royal Colleges and the Department of Health, as a core foundation. The pathways that cover eligibility criteria have then been developed in conjunction with clinicians in London.
	The trust on whose waiting list the patient is held before the start of the choice process, checks whether the patient falls within the eligibility criteria for choice. However the transfer of clinical responsibility does not take place until the patient has been seen and accepted in a pre-admission clinic in the alternative hospital.

Problematic Drug Users

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many problematic drug users were known to the social services as children.

Hazel Blears: We are not aware of any relevant statistics held centrally on how many problematic drug users were known to the social services as children.

Prostate Cancer

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the Government's campaign to tackle effectively prostate cancer; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Good progress has been made since the national health service prostate cancer programme was launched on 6 September 2000, setting out the Government's approach to improving prostate cancer services in England and Wales.
	As part of the prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP), evidence-based primary care resource packs were sent to all general practitioners in England from 23 September 2002 to aid them in counselling men who are worried about prostate cancer, ensuring the men make an informed choice about whether or not to have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.
	Other elements of the PCRMP include ensuring that a systematic and standardised follow-up pathway is available for individuals whose test result is above the PSA threshold and action to improve the quality of laboratory testing of PSA samples. Primary care and laboratories were informed of recommendations from the scientific reference group, which supports the PCRMP, in September 2002.
	By 2003–04, the Department will be directly funding £4.2 million of research a year on prostate cancer. This is a 20-fold increase compared with 1999–2000. Two National Cancer Research Institute prostate cancer research collaboratives have been established in Newcastle and London. Funded research includes studies on various treatments for prostate cancer, improving the PSA test and ethnic differences in prostate cancer incidence. The National Cancer Research Institute considered prostate cancer as part of its strategic analysis in 2002, but made no specific recommendations.
	The Department is funding a Section 64 grant to the Prostate Cancer Charity to increase further information about prostate cancer. This is supporting the creation, review, provision and dissemination of a range of awareness material, supported by £135,000 over three years. 92.4 per cent. of patients with suspected urological cancers, including prostate, were seen for their first out-patient appointment within two weeks of their general practitioner deciding they should be urgently referred, and the hospital receiving the referral within 24 hours, in April to June 2002.
	The cancer services collaborative is modernising cancer care, including prostate cancer, by reducing unnecessary delays in the system for patients throughout the cancer journey.
	The number of consultant urologists grew from 382 in 2000 to 427 in 2001, and is set to grow to 504 in 2005. There may be around an additional 100 trained specialists available to take up consultant posts in urology.
	The Government welcomed the launch of the prostate cancer charter for action on 29 January 2003. We look forward to working closely with the charter. To ensure better collaboration and communication between the charter members, the Government intend to set up a prostate cancer advisory group, allowing us to combine the expertise of the voluntary sector with the national health service for the benefit of patients.

Public Bodies

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost of the reorganisation from the Commission for Health Improvement and the National Care Standards Commission to the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection and the Social Services Inspectorate.

Jacqui Smith: Work is currently in hand to consider how the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection and the Commission for Social Care Inspection will be established. Estimates of costing have not yet been made but will be undertaken in due course as it becomes clearer how these independent new bodies will carry out their functions.
	Subject to legislation, the Commission for Social Care Inspection will bring together the functions of the Social Services Inspectorate and the social care functions of the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) and the Commission for Healthcare Audit andInspection will encompass the Commission for Health Improvement, the healthcare related functions of the NCSC, the health value for money work of the Audit Commission and, subject to the passage of further legislation, the work of the Mental Health Act Commission.

Redundancy Payments

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS workers, who have received pension payouts or redundancy payouts, have been employed by, or given remunerated services to, the NHS following their pension or redundancy payout in the last three years for which figures are available.

John Hutton: holding answer 5 February 2003
	The information requested is not collected centrally. The Department of Health issued Health Service Guidance (95)25, NHS early retirement arrangements, which clearly states that offers of re-employment or payments for consultancy work are not expected to be made to former national health service employees who have taken early retirement from the NHS at public expense, unless the offer clearly represents good value for money in relation to alternatives.
	Further employment of staff who receive early payment of NHS pension benefits as a result of compulsory redundancy, or who volunteer to retire early with actuarially reduced pension benefits, is not restricted. However, the HSG provides guidelines on the abatement and suspension of NHS pension during re-employment in the NHS.

Renewable Energy

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes in unit payments for electricity have resulted from the switch by his Department to purchasing renewable energy which is exempt from the Climate Change Levy.

Hazel Blears: The Department first purchased renewable energy for consumption in its London headquarters buildings from October 2001. The current average unit charge for renewable electricity on the estate, compared to the average unit price charged prior to October 2001, shows a reduction of around 10 per cent.

Spanish Eggs

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the risks to health from eggs imported from Spain.

Hazel Blears: During October and November 2002, there was a marked increase in the number of outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis. Many of these were linked to the use of eggs in catering and in the majority of these, the eggs appeared to have originated from Spain.
	Investigations of eggs linked to outbreaks and of eggs in catering premises, carried out by the Public Health Laboratory Service, have identified a higher level of contamination of Spanish eggs by Salmonella (5 per cent. of pooled samples) than was found in previous surveys of eggs, whether United Kingdom produced (1 per cent. of pooled samples) or non-UK produced (2 per cent. of pooled samples).
	Eggs, regardless of their origin, cannot be guaranteed to be Salmonella free. However, the risk to public health can be minimised if eggs are properly handled and cooked. The FoodStandards Agency has reiterated advice to a wide range of food businesses, including those catering for vulnerable groups, on the correct handling and use of raw shell eggs. It has drawn the problem with eggs to the attention of the European Commission and the Spanish authorities and has advised importers and wholesalers of imported eggs to send eggs imported from Spain for commercial heat treatment until further notice. Since this advice was issued, the number of outbreaks has fallen to normal background levels.

Specialist Commissioning

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reasons underlay his decision to postpone the transfer of specialist commissioning to primary care trusts until April 2004; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Decisions on the future arrangements for specialist commissioning will be taken shortly.

Speech Therapy

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he plans to ensure that primary care trusts provide speech therapy to meet children's statemented needs.

John Hutton: "Shifting the Balance of Power" gives primary care trusts (PCTs) the responsibility of improving the health of the community, securing the provision of high quality services and integrating health and social care locally.
	We are assisting this by increasing the numbers of speech and language therapists (SLTs). Between September 1997 and 2001, the number of SLTs employed in the national health service increased by 17 per cent., from 4,870 to 5,680. The numbers of SLTs entering training have increased by 21 per cent., from 457 to 553 between 1999–2000 and 2001–02. Also, with the extra investment announced in the 2002 Budget, by 2008 the NHS will have net increases of at least 30,000 scientists and therapists, including speech and language therapists, over the September 2001 staff census.
	A children care group work force team was established in December 2001 to take a national view on the health and social care work force pressures and priorities for children and maternity services. It supports the strategy set out in "The HR in the NHS Plan", published in July 2002, which aims to grow and develop the NHS work force.
	One of the main priorities for the care group is to support the development of the children's national service framework. This includes action to develop a framework of the skills and competencies needed in the work force to deliver quality person-centred care for children, young people and expectant mothers. This will help to ensure that national educational needs are identified and action taken through the care group, and that at a local level, primary care trusts have the information needed to make adequate provision for children's services. This would include the provision of speech therapy.

Speech Therapy

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instigate an inquiry into the staffing and funding of speech therapy in (a) special schools and (b) mainstream schools.

John Hutton: I have no current plans to do so.

Voluntary Residential Accommodation

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether voluntary residential accommodation is covered by his Department's inspection and enforcement procedures.

John Hutton: Where accommodation is rented from a hospital on a voluntary basis and there is no contractual requirement to provide on-call duties from that accommodation, the accommodation will not be covered by the inspection requirements of HSC2000/036. It will be covered by the Houses in Multiple Occupancy Regulations and other local authority standards to ensure basic habitability.

Welfare Food Scheme

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the value of benefit under the Welfare Food Scheme is as a proportion of the household food budget, for the poorest 20 per cent. of mothers who bottle feed.

Hazel Blears: The Welfare Food Scheme is primarily targeted at low income families in receipt of income support and income based job seekers' allowance. Certain families in receipt of working families' tax credit are also eligible for specific provisions under the scheme. It is not possible to identify the poorest 20 per cent. of beneficiaries within these groups. The majority of eligible mothers in the scheme with a child under one opt to take-up infant formula.
	Bottle-feeding mothers with a child under one in receipt of income support or income based job seekers' allowance are entitled to a benefit which consists of a fixed amount of milk. They receive milk tokens which can be exchanged for seven pints of liquid milk or one 900g tin of infant formula per week. The monetary value of the milk is variable as it is dependent upon the price charged by retailers and manufacturers.
	Certain families in receipt of working families' tax credit are entitled to purchase 900g tins of infant formula at a discounted rate from designated national health service clinics.

Sigmoidoscopy

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many hospitals in the UK are equipped to perform flexible sigmoidoscopies;.
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of patients subject to rigid sigmoidoscopy procedures who could have a flexible sigmoidoscopy;
	(3)  what percentage of patients investigated for bowel cancer are subject to (a) rigid sigmoidoscopy, (b) flexible sigmoidoscopy and (c) barium enema and (d) colonoscopy.

Hazel Blears: Data is not available on the number of hospitals that are equipped to perform flexible sigmoidoscopies, nor on the percentage of bowel cancer patients that have individual investigations. The decision as to the appropriate diagnostic test for any patient will be for the clinical judgment of the clinician in charge of the patient's care, taking full consideration of the patient's presenting symptoms.
	A national health service bowel cancer programme was announced on 5 February 2003. The aim of the programme is to develop a national screening programme for bowel cancer and speed up diagnosis and treatment for patients with the disease.